Food waste and fashion are two of the most wasteful industries in the world. Roughly one third of the food we produce in the world is lost or wasted, from snobby supermarkets to wasteful households. Banana-fiber is surprisingly one of the oldest known natural clothing materials, which went out of fashion once cotton and synthetic materials dominated the market. It originated from a culture in Japan and is called bashôfu in Japanese. With natural fibers making a come back and material development a hot topic in fashion, banana-fiber seems to be trending.
Bananas In Pajamas
The fibers are scraped from the banana plant stem bark and then processed multiple ways to make different types of materials, most commonly used as an alternative to silk. It’s apparently quite an intensive process to produce currently, however with more initiatives and funding this could be reduced. Banana-fiber is one of the world’s strongest natural materials, soft, biodegradable, breathable and incredibly durable. It is literally the perfect material for pajamas. Banana fiber is not only a useful and sustainable material, it’s commonly wasted in the production of the fruit. Banana farmers waste over one billion tonnes of banana stem each year, which ends up in landfill producing more carbon to add to global warming. Using this material to produce fashion could be a positive way to produce more jobs and income for banana farmers and communities, whilst encouraging the use of eco-friendly materials.
It is also satisfying the needs of sustainability.
Cool Coconuts
I know the world is starting to turn away from the idea that coconut oil might not be the wonder health product we all thought it was, but it could be a great clothing material. The material is called Cocona Fabric and has been widely suggested as a potential fabric for active wear, which is classically made from synthetic fibers. The activated carbon from used coconut shells can be used in synthetic fabric such as recycled polyester to give it remarkably better properties. This includes UV protection, faster drying, lighter, softer and less smelly.
The company 37.5 Technology has commercialized this concept using coconut shells, patenting the dynamic thermoregulation technology with volcanic ash. The technology can literally regulate your temperature, reduce moisture from your clothes and improve performance. Adidas, Salomon and the U.S. Army are all clients, so they must be on to something.
Student Writer- Bhargavi Bajpai AIFT 2nd Year
Mentor & Editor- Mrs. Kavita Sharma & Ms. Vinita Juneja (Faculty AIFT)
