Bananatex: The World’s First Durable Technical Fabric Made Purely from Banana Plants
Made from 100% naturally grown Abacà (banana plant), Bananatex is super strong and durable, yet lightweight and flexible. Cultivated in the Philippines within a natural ecosystem of sustainable forestry, the banana plants used to create Banantex require no chemical treatments or extra water. The plant’s self-sufficiency has made it an important contributor to the reforestation of areas once eroded by Palm plantations while enhancing the prosperity of local farmers. This new textile is fully biodegradable and produces less than 1% off-cut while significantly reducing CO2 emissions, making it a sustainable replacement to the technical plastics dominating the industry today.
Once the Abacá fibers have been transformed into yarn in a Taiwanese paper mill, the yarn – in the case of the All Black color – is colored using a yarn dying method that is more sustainable than the typical roll dying alternative and is Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 certified. The Natural White color reflects the actual color of the fibers and is accordingly not dyed. Bananatex is available in 3 colors: Natural White, All Black, and Grave with or without natural beeswax coating. The natural beeswax coating gives it a smooth, water-resistant finish and a supple hand feel. Applications are for consumer products including bags, shoes, watch wristbands, and furniture.
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