Although pineapple leaves account for 80% of the fruit’s mass, they have little to no purpose within the pineapple industry. In Mexico alone, this organic byproduct comprises up to a tonne of waste every day. Sustrato is an experimental design project that transforms this resource into biomaterials and sustainable products. In this way, designer Andrea De la Peña Aguirre flips the line between monetary product and waste—giving value to otherwise forgotten material. Her collection pairs ancient extraction techniques with modern technology, featuring four tangible products that give the leaves a new life: rope, bioplastic, felt and an agglomerated material.
WINNER OF THE NO WASTE CHALLENGE
Sustrato is one of the winners of What Design Can Do’s No Waste Challenge, which was launched earlier this year together with IKEA Foundation, to tackle one of the most pressing issues of our time: waste.