In Denmark, fashion designer Ganni has designed a track suit collection using fabric made from banana waste.
The line includes grey jogging bottoms, a crop top, and a cropped hoodie made from organic cotton and Element 2 fabric. Produced by Spain’s Pyratex, Element 2 forms part of Ganni’s Fabrics of the Future initiative, which looks to shift designs away from synthetic, non-biodegradable materials like polyester.
“Our goal is to diversify the natural fibers we wear to avoid synthetic fibers and the overexploitation of cotton or linen,” Pyratex founder and CEO Regina Polanco tells Dezeen. “We want to allow the innovative fibers we work with to become as commonplace in our wardrobes as cotton, linen, or even synthetic fabrics. In the case of Pyratex Element 2, our banana agri-waste fiber is obtained from the waste leaves, trunks and branches resulting from banana fruit agriculture.”
Element 2 also provides a use for India’s banana waste, which would otherwise be burned and contribute to the country’s air pollution.