Did you know that millions of tons of fabric end in the landfills around the world? Only in China is 20 million tons per year. Less than 15% of it is recycled.
Fortunately the leftovers of the food industry are raw material for modern and sustainable fabric. We’ve talked here about the fruit leather and pineapple fiber. In this sequence of 3 articles “Dress up food” meet clothes and amazing accessories made from food.
1-Banana
Banana stalks fabrics are produced in Japan since the 13th century. The fiber is incredibly tough and is not used by the food industry. Recently this technique was rediscovered and explored again. External fibers, are firm and result in more rustic products, while the internal fibers look like silk. Processing can be done by machines or manually, generating jobs for the communities of artisans where the fruits are harvested.
Banana fiber is that is easier to handle than bamboo. In addition, it is highly absorbent and biodegradable. Approximately 1 billion tons of banana stalks are discarded each year. To produce 1 kg of fibre is required only 37 kg of stalks. Small farmers who pay to have their planting clean or that are burning on the ground, already have this ecological alternative much more lucrative.
2-Coconut
Approximately of 50 billion coconuts fall of Palm trees every year. Their shells are usually discarded. They could be used in the cleaning of oil poured into the sea, due to its extremely absorbent nature, and also in reforestation projects as organic fertilizer. The fibers of coconut shells are excellent substitutes for the polyester, which is derived from petrol. “Cocona“ is produced and marketed by the company 37.5. It is made from coconut shells that have been recycled into charcoal. Charcoal when embedded to the fibers, results in a fresh, fast-drying and UV protective fabric. Those characteristics are perfect for sports wear. Brands such Adidas and Under Armour already use it.
There is still a lot of surprises in the world of fruit clothes. Eat and get dressed!
Don’t miss the next article in the series “Dress up Food”! See part 2 here.
References: Eco Watch, Ecosalon, The Gardian, Eco Chic Design Award, Offset Warehouse, Belton Industries, Business Week
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