Today, there are alternatives to reduce the environmental impact of the textile industry. Banana fibre is an important resource that is abundant in India, Sri Lanka and a few African countries. The banana fiber is extracted from the petioles (base of the leaves) of the banana tree.
WHAT IF THE FUTURE OF TEXTILES WAS BASED ON FIBRE INNOVATION FROM ABACA LEAF (BANANA TREE) ?
Banana fibre : Textile fibre from the leaves of the abaca (banana variety)
Banana silk ( the species Abaca) is made from the stalk cut into strips. The extracted fibres are then washed and dried.
Properties of this banana fiber :
- Light
- Biodegradable
The resulting fabric is silky, flexible and wicks moisture. It is also highly résistant. On the other hand, because it is difficult to extract fibres compared to other natural fibres, it is the extraction of the fibre and weaving that is complex (which explains the prices per M2).
The colors :
The fibre from banana tree is dark brown or white depending on whether you take the heart or the edge of the petioles.
Creators who have used banana fibre :
Em Riem (Kh) : Artist / Designer Initiated to contemporary design during durant his French training at the schéol of Fine arts of Saint-Étienne and the Nationale School of Decorative Arts of Paris, Em Riem is the first artist to have opened his gallery in Phnom Penh (Cambodge). The use of local materials such as Bamboo, rattan, or banana leaf is an essential feature of his work.
Dita Sandico has been working with banana silk in the Philippines for 15 years. The design and production processes transform banana fibers into a lightweight fabric and transpose them into the world of haute couture and fashion.
Coralie Marabelle won the Hyères Public Award 2014. A graduate of Studio Berçot, she made her debut at Martin Margiela and Alexander McQueen. She created a dress for Textifood using banana and pineapple fibre (created by textile designer Elodie Brunet, based in the Philippines), and a Umorfil® (a textile fibre made of collagen molecules from fish scales and cellulose). The lower part of the garment is polished to the shell by the designer.
Subscribe to our newsletter for more articles!
If you would like more information contact us here or by e-mail at contact@greenybirddress.com