Bananatex® is the world’s first durable, technical fabric made purely from the naturally grown Abacá banana plants. Cultivated in the Philippine highlands within a natural ecosystem of sustainable mixed agriculture and forestry, the plant is self-sufficient, requires no pesticides, fertilizer or extra water. These qualities have allowed it to contribute to reforestation in areas once eroded due to monocultural palm plantations, whilst enhancing biodiversity and the economic prosperity of its farmers.
The plant’s inherent properties align with our commitment to environmental, economic and social sustainability.
Each Abacá plant has several stalks that can be harvested once a year, and regenerate fully within one year. The first step is “topping”: cutting the leaves, then “tumbling” the stalks. The leaves are left to decompose, creating a natural fertilizer.
The stripping is handled at the harvesting site, and the fibers are “combed” to separate them from one another.
The raw fibers are sorted at the warehouse of the farmers cooperative.