This is a research project by practice, which firstly develops a new material invention derived from natural fibres extracted from waste pineapple leaves; secondly it articulates the contemporary designer’s role in facilitating sustainable solutions, through insights from my own material invention Piñatex™, which integrates the materiality of design with the immateriality of concepts and values
Through developing a visual model of mapping, I began with these questions: what are the challenges in seeking to make a new and sustainable material from the waste products of the pineapple agriculture in the Philippines? And how can a design practice link elements of materiality (artifacts) with the immaterial elements (value systems) in order to improve sustainable, social and economic development?
Significant influences have been Papaneck (2003), Hawken (2002), Abouleish (2008) and in particular the ethical business model ‘Cradle to Cradle (2002). My own research project, Ananas Anam, is inspired by the Cradle to Cradle (C2C) model. It proposes the development of a new material (Piñatex™) derived from natural fibres extracted from waste pineapple leaves that could be used in a wide variety of products, which are currently based on leather or petroleum based materials (such as Alcantara™).
The methods have comprised: contextual reviews; case studies, (Sekem, Cradle to Cradle and Gawad Kalinga); practical experiments in the field of natural fibres, green chemistry, product development, manufacturing and agriculture, leading to an invention and a theoretical model of mapping. In addition collaboration has taken place across scientific, technological, social, ecological, academic and business fields.
The outcome is a new material called Piñatex™ based on the synchronicity between the pineapple fibres, polymers, resins and coatings specially formulated. The invention of the new material that I developed as a central part of this research by practice has a patent in the international phase (PCT/GB 2011/000802) and is in the latest stages of commercial testing and design input (Autumn 2012).
The contribution to knowledge is firstly the material Piñatex, which exhibits certain main qualities: its environmentally non-toxic nature; its biodegradable nature, its income generating potential and marketability. This is alongside its intrinsic qualities as a textile product: aesthetic potential, durability and stability, which will make it suitable for the accessories, interiors and furnishing markets.
The theoretical mapping system Upstream and Downstream forms a secondary contribution.