Dublin-based Spanish designer Dr Carmen Hijosa, who has invented an eco-friendly leather alternative using pineapple leaves, has been named a finalist for the European Inventor Award 2021 under the SME category. Launched by the European Patent Office in 2006, the European Inventor Award is one of the most distinguished innovation prizes in Europe. An independent jury that includes people from different walks of life selects the finalists as well as winners.
Hijosa’s eco-friendly leather, which won her the nomination, is made out of pineapple leaves which are by-products of existing pineapple harvests in the Philippines. These leaves are then shipped by boat to Spain or Italy for specialised finishing. The leather, which is already water-resistant to an extent, is coloured using GOTS-certified pigments. The end product from the leather, which is called Piñatex, is biodegradable as well as recyclable.
The designer, who also founded the company that makes Piñatex, was inspired by the process of using pineapple leaves to make a traditional dress called barong tagalog in the Philippines. This led her to use the same pineapple leaves to invent the eco-friendly leather.
Today, Piñatex is widely used by brands in about 80 countries to make various products like jackets, upholstery, bags, shoes and much more. The world’s first vegan hotel suite at the Hilton Bankside in London also features Piñatex as its core material, using it for bedroom headboards, cushions, armchairs, pouffes and also the hotel room key card.
Image Source: Twitter/RCA