The story of a woman making sustainable fashion from pandan leaves.

In recent years, alongside the trend of green living, the term "sustainable fashion" has gradually become a guiding principle and responsibility for every individual, especially those working in fashion. Many designers are increasingly seeking alternatives to traditional fabrics. Carmen Hijosa, a 69-year-old Spanish leather designer, is no exception. Having researched leather and its environmental impact for many years, Hijosa has created a more sustainable solution: using pineapple leaf fibers to produce a fashion material that replaces animal leather.

This trip is crucial.

At the age of 19, Carmen Hijosa moved to Ireland to study and began working in the leather industry. At that time, she worked for a small company, frequently handling luxury leather products manufactured for companies such as Harrods, Liberty, and Takashimaya.

However, that wasn't the reason that led her to vegan fashion. It all started when Carmen Hijosa became a design consultant for the European Union and the World Bank in the South American, Philippine, Thai, and EU markets. This job gave her the opportunity to travel extensively and learn about the products she truly loved.

In 1993, she visited one of the leather factories in the Philippines and was shocked to witness the impact of the leather industry on the environment and the health of the local people. The animal tanning process requires the use of toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde and heavy metals like chromium – all of which cause pollution. She then decided to quit immediately. "I didn't have any career plans beforehand, but after seeing that, I promised myself I would never work with leather again," Hijosa said.

From that experience, Hijosa conceived the idea of ​​finding a substitute for leather, and more importantly, producing a type of leather from natural materials in the Southeast Asian island nation. With 15 years of experience in the industry, she understood that the substitute material needed to have properties such as durability, toughness, shine, lightness, and the ability to be sustainably produced. And so her journey began...

The solution lies in what's thrown away.

Carmen Hijosa began working with the Design Center in the Philippines, interacting with farmers and artisans and directly participating in the production process. For her, this was the only way to connect with what she wanted to create.

After years of research, she realized that the by-products of pineapple plantations held the answer she was looking for. "I was impressed by pineapple leaves. I tried it repeatedly; their fibers were excellent, strong and flexible, and could be spun into netting," Hijosa shared. In 2014, she developed the Piñatex fabric production process and started her business again at the age of 62 with Ananas Anam.

Pandanus leaves are considered a byproduct on plantations in the Philippines. Typically, after each harvest, farmers will burn them immediately or let them rot naturally. It is estimated that around 40,000 tons of pandanus leaves are discarded globally each year.

But since Carmen Hijosa's idea emerged, pandan leaves in the Philippines are collected by locals and processed by separating the fibers from the leaf blades. After washing and drying, the chlorophyll and sap are removed. The refined pandan leaf fibers are then processed into a non-woven mesh. Next, they are sent to Spain to complete their life cycle. There, they undergo chemical and mechanical treatments to achieve toughness, durability, and a leather-like appearance, named Piñatex. On average, 480 pandan leaves are used to weave 1 meter of fabric.²This is a type of faux leather fabric.

Unlike leather production, processing pineapple raw materials does not produce toxins harmful to the environment. Furthermore, the leftover material after fiber separation can be composted or used as input material for bioenergy production.

Piñatex – similar to leather, can be dyed, printed, and treated to create a variety of textures and thicknesses. It's a perfect substitute for leather in making shoes, bags, sofas, etc., at a price of just £18/meter.²- 40% cheaper than leather, costing around £20-30 per meter.².

Passion never "retires".

Ms. Hijosa recounted that although she received many investment offers for her project, things were not always smooth sailing, and she faced numerous setbacks. "It's not easy to find people with a vision for the future who can envision what you're doing," she said.

For Hijosa, one of the highlights in her journey of creating vegan fashion materials was receiving a patent in 2011. "I was able to confidently work on a product that people trusted and allowed to continue developing," she said.

When it launched in 2016, her innovative creation was widely embraced everywhere. Many brands and fashion designers around the world have incorporated Piñatex into their products, from shoes and clothing to furniture and cars. Now, Ananas Anam has partnered with 3,000 brands globally, including Hugo Boss, Chanel, Mango, Ecoalf, and more. The Piñatex leather has also been upgraded, now available in fashionable colors such as charcoal purple, brown, orange-red, and silver.

Alicia Lai, founder of the London-based fashion brand Bourgeois Boheme, said: “For us, using Piñatex in our collections is a natural choice. It not only embodies ethical principles—no animal cruelty, no environmental pollution—but it also helps us successfully redefine the concept of leather shoes, boots, and sandals that aren't made of leather.”

Through her own success story, the Piñatex fabric initiative, made from pineapple leaves, is raising awareness about a sustainable approach to fashion. For Carmen Hijosa, it's a privilege to be able to respect the environment and fight pollution by providing products made from waste. More importantly, at an age when she should be retired, this 69-year-old woman is still diligently seeking a path forward for the sustainable fashion industry.

Huyen Chau - Photo: Internet