Hi everyone! Welcome to my first blog post within my All Things Faux website. As a brand we try to do our bit when it comes to helping the environment and reducing animal cruelty within the Fashion industry and we are constantly researching into different methods and materials that could substitute the use of materials such as real leather and real fur. Which leads me onto my next question that I have spent a while researching: What is Piñatex?
Piñatex is a material which is created from the fibres which are extracted from pineapple leaves from the Philippines. The process is called decortication, these fibres are cut and layered. Pineapple leaves are considered an agricultural by-product which can be left to biodegrade, this means that it not only has positive impacts on the environment for obvious reasons such as animal welfare; but the process that creates Piñatex uses no harmful chemicals whereas some factories that process real leather mean that workers surrounded by toxic chemicals – even children because of child labour in low income countries!
There are many benefits to using Piñatex as an eco-friendly substitute to leather. It is also available to purchase on a roll, therefore avoiding wastage. Piñatex’s main characteristic is definitely the fact it is very versatile, it is also a breathable fabric. It can be dyed and treated to give different types of textures and the thickness can be developed for heavier items to be created e.g. leather jackets and bags. Another major positive to the creation of Piñatex is the fact that an estimated 40,000 tonnes of pineapple waste is generated globally each year and there is now a use for it!
This incredible idea came when Hijosa discovered that she could make a fabric which could be bonded together without knitting or weaving using pineapple leaves and fibres. Hijosa is aware that the price of real leather has increased, it is estimated the industry needs to slaughter 430 million cows annually by 2025 to keep up with the demand for leather products e.g. shoes and bags. Hijosa has succeeded in creating a cheaper, environmentally friendly option to real leather.
However, there are still ongoing developments with the Piñatex fabric for example, currently, Piñatex includes a non-biodegradable top layer to ensure strength and durability but the company is working to find an alternative option and will research further into developing the material. This could result in the price increasing and if the demand for this material increases it may become more challenging to keep the production sustainable.
Celebrities have also been getting involved with this amazing trend! Livia Firth stepped onto the red carpet in a Piñatex ball gown at the Met Gala 2017. Livia Firth stated "I love to think of each red carpet opportunity as a sustainability project in itself." Not only was Livia Firth dressed for the occasion but she was using her fame to help impact the decrease in animal cruelty within the fashion industry. This dress was certainly a conversation starter!
I decided after all this research that I wanted to see what all the fuss was about! I got hold of some Piñatex fabric samples and I have included pictures below. It’s quite amazing really that this material is a stepping stone in helping reduce animal cruelty within the fashion industry which makes us all at All Things Faux absolutely delighted!
Thanks for Reading,
All Things Faux.