We’re the largest producers of bananas in the world, says the National Horticultural Board. But after we’ve eaten the potassium-rich fruit, what’s leftover is usually binned to rot. Now, researchers, farmers and entrepreneurs are putting their heads together to make everything from the pseudo-stem to the leaves work. It is possibly going to be the next bamboo, and a lot of the products are still being worked on to refine them.
Fabric: It’s vegan (no animals are killed in its making, unlike silk), uses few insecticides and pesticides, and is biodegradable. The outer sheath of the plant’s stump is used. It’s difficult to find pure banana cloth in India, says C Sekhar, co-founder of Ananafit, the company behind the bamboo jeans that was in the news recently. Hence it’s used in combination with other fibres (banana forms the weft), mostly cotton, but also silk. Jainam Kumarpal, who calls himself an ecopreneur, says the fabric is rough-textured and, depending on the weaver, can be khadi-textured or even jute-like. His brand, Bhusattva, designs garments with fabrics as diverse as banana and hemp. “It is comparatively more expensive than cotton because it’s not a very strong fibre and processing needs more care,” says Dr Charu Swami, Assistant Professor, Clothing & Textiles, Department of Home Science, Dayalbagh Educational Institute Agra.
Fabric:Rs. 2,500 upwards, saris: Rs. 1,500 upwards, jeans: Rs.5,000, Ananafit: Rs.5,000 upwards.
Sanitary pads: A safe way for the planet and your body, 100% banana-fibre pads are completely biodegradable. Regular sanitary napkins use a mix of cotton and plastic — the former uses a lot more water in cultivation than banana does; the latter is often hard on the skin. Saathi pads say their product biodegrades in six months and supports regular to heavy flow.
Rs. 159 for a pack of eight XL pads with wings, saathipads.com.
Paper: Low-cost handmade paper is simple to produce, but often commands a premium on the market. Paper produced from wood-free pulp (another way of saying environmentally-friendly) is also better resistant to water. Some varieties are made out of the stem and some from the leaf. “Banana fibre has a high cellulose content, plus it is a long fibre that makes for strong paper. It doesn’t tear easily, is translucent if processed well, and is strong enough to be manipulated into various shapes,” says Jenny Pinto, a studio handpaper maker based out of Bengaluru, who also sculpts it into lamps and art. Read more
Fabric: It’s vegan (no animals are killed in its making, unlike silk), uses few insecticides and pesticides, and is biodegradable. The outer sheath of the plant’s stump is used. It’s difficult to find pure banana cloth in India, says C Sekhar, co-founder of Ananafit, the company behind the bamboo jeans that was in the news recently. Hence it’s used in combination with other fibres (banana forms the weft), mostly cotton, but also silk. Jainam Kumarpal, who calls himself an ecopreneur, says the fabric is rough-textured and, depending on the weaver, can be khadi-textured or even jute-like. His brand, Bhusattva, designs garments with fabrics as diverse as banana and hemp. “It is comparatively more expensive than cotton because it’s not a very strong fibre and processing needs more care,” says Dr Charu Swami, Assistant Professor, Clothing & Textiles, Department of Home Science, Dayalbagh Educational Institute Agra.
Fabric:Rs. 2,500 upwards, saris: Rs. 1,500 upwards, jeans: Rs.5,000, Ananafit: Rs.5,000 upwards.
Sanitary pads: A safe way for the planet and your body, 100% banana-fibre pads are completely biodegradable. Regular sanitary napkins use a mix of cotton and plastic — the former uses a lot more water in cultivation than banana does; the latter is often hard on the skin. Saathi pads say their product biodegrades in six months and supports regular to heavy flow.
Rs. 159 for a pack of eight XL pads with wings, saathipads.com.
Paper: Low-cost handmade paper is simple to produce, but often commands a premium on the market. Paper produced from wood-free pulp (another way of saying environmentally-friendly) is also better resistant to water. Some varieties are made out of the stem and some from the leaf. “Banana fibre has a high cellulose content, plus it is a long fibre that makes for strong paper. It doesn’t tear easily, is translucent if processed well, and is strong enough to be manipulated into various shapes,” says Jenny Pinto, a studio handpaper maker based out of Bengaluru, who also sculpts it into lamps and art. Read more