What Is Pineapple Leather And Why You Should Know About It
What is pineapple leather?
When I first heard about pineapple leather, I thought it was made from the skin of the pineapple. However, it is made from the leaves of the pineapple instead of the fruit. You will hear it referred to as Pinatex, which is made up of 80% pineapple leaf fiber and 20% polylactic acid. It is a non-biodegradable leather alternative because of the polylactic acid (which is a bioplastic) and polyurethane resin coating. Pinatex does not weigh the same amount as other leathers and often costs less.
The process of using pineapple for leather started in Spain, the U.K, and the Philippines in the 1990’s. Pineapple agriculture creates a lot of waste, and only the fruit can be sold, so the leaves are unnecessary to the farmers. Just as cowhides are recycled to reduce waste, this is the same idea behind pineapple leather. Farmers can obtain a little extra income by selling unused waste instead of leaving them to rot. Speaking of costs, the overall costs to consumers can be more affordable comparatively to other types of leather.
Similar to the leather made from cows there are a multitude of different items that can be manufactured from pineapple leather. Currently, it is used for bags, shoes, wallets, watch bands, and seat covers. Further development on the use in the clothing industry is being built upon. Since the commercial launch in 2015 quite a few international brands are using Pinatex, such as Hugo Boss and Laura Strambi.
Do you know?
Who was the Dr. that developed Pinatex? Answer at the end of the blog!
Pros of Pineapple Leather
There is a push to be environmentally friendly and to reduce pollution, which makes pineapple leather a step in the right direction. In our previous blog Why use Leather? we spoke about how harmful “vegan” leather is to the environment. Unfortunately, Pinatex is not biodegradable and cannot break down on its own like real authentic leather can. Pinatex reduces the waste from pineapple farming. Some other pros are that Pinatex is 30% cheaper than animal leathers, durable, light weight, has good tensile strength, and is cruelty-free. Pinatex is easy to clean, all you need is some water and a microfiber cloth. It is a sustainably sourced textile that uses less water and does not use harmful chemicals. Pinatex is water-resistant but not completely waterproof.
Cons of Pineapple Leather
The durability is lackluster. There is low resistance to heat, fire, abrasion resistance, breathability, chemical protection, and it is easily damaged. These drawbacks lead to irreversible damage, which can force you to replace the leather. With a low threshold for heat and fire, Pinatex would not be able to pass the standard as it would undoubtedly be a fire risk. There is a large number of plastics and pollutants in “vegan” leather, but in the Pinatex there is only 20% of the polylactic acid.
The elasticity of Pinatex is important to note. It does not bend and stretch like cow leather can. The ability to bend and stretch naturally help the leather be used for many different projects. Upholstery is one of these projects that needs to have leather bend and stretch. When trying to stretch Pinatex it can rip under pressure.
Sunlight is an agent of misery for all leather, and Pinatex does not hold its own very well against them. It will often fade and dry quicker than most of the competition. When leather dries out it will start to stiffen, fade, and lose its original color. Once the leather loses its color it is very difficult to get it back.
Answer:
Dr. Carmen Hijosa, a leather goods expert. She developed Pinatex while consulting on the Philippines leather export industry during the 1990s.
If you are looking to try exotic leather, using Pinatex (pineapple leather) is an interesting choice! It is a cheaper option and more environmentally conscious than “vegan” leather.
If you are looking for some new textures and looks on your leather take a gander at our emboss and deboss patterns.