Rose Buddha's pineapple "leather"

“Design is not just about product. It’s about responsibility.”- Carmen Hijosa

Rose Buddha’s pineapple leather bags are made out of Piñatex, maintaining the utmost respect for both the planet and her people.

Why Piñatex?

Piñatex is a material derived from pineapple fibers. It provides a vegan alternative to leather (tanneries are among the ten most toxic industries in the world) and is less polluting than other synthetic petroleum-based leathers. Its production doesn’t require any pesticides or fertilizer, and no animal is sacrificed or mistreated in the process!

While this textile is extremely sturdy, ethical and eco-responsible, its raw materials are very expensive.

A Brief History of the PineappleThe magnificent leather alternative is the creative collaboration of Carmen Hijosa  (PhD, research textiles) and a co-op of farmers from the Philippines. After seven years of research and development, Hijosa and a team of researchers perfected an avant-garde technique that transforms pineapple leaves into a material that is beautiful and sturdy enough to replace leather.

 

 

Every year, the pineapple industry produces 40 000 tonnes of pineapple leaves globally. These leaves are typically burned, or left to decompose.

It takes approximately 480 leaves (the waste of 16 pineapples) to create one square metre of Piñatex.

Farmers earn a very modest living from their pineapple crops. The ability to transform their waste provides them with supplemental income. Everyone wins in this process. Farmers can improve their quality of life while helping to heal the planet.

But how do we make pineapple leather?

Before they are fully transformed into a stunning textile, pineapple fibres must undergo a long process.

It starts with the pineapple

First, long fibres are extracted from the pineapple leaves through a decortication process that takes place right at the farms.

In the Philippines

Next, the fibres are washed and dried, and then sent to a partnering Filipino factory where a team of experts separate and felt the strands into a non-woven textile. This is how we obtain the raw material.

A Stop in Spain

The raw material now travels to Spain, where a specialized finishing process gives the textile its final look, a similar texture to leather, but entirely biodegradable.

 

Off to its final destination where it’s made into a product

Finally, the finished Piñatex can be bought by companies like Rose Buddha and transformed into bags, shoes and accessories.

 

At a Fair Price

Here at Rose Buddha, we were fascinated by this new initiative and material. We therefore decided to support the innovation and create a high end product at a fair price.

For our first step, we worked alongside a Quebec designer to create the ideal template that would fulfill all your most beautiful dreams for a bag.

Next, we purchased pineapple fabric samples from Piñatex.

Once we received the samples, we got to work with our artisan tailors. Each step of the way, in our quest for the perfect product, we tested, adjusted, tested, adjusted, tested, adjusted… Well, you get the idea!

We realize that people make this sort of purchase to last them a lifetime.  It’s a choice. The entire production process takes place here, by local artisans.  For this reason, it is impossible for us to compete with the prices of industrially-produced bags.

We stand behind the fact that you will love your pineapple bag and carry it with you for years to come.  

 

 

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