Ananas Anam

Based in the UK, Ananas Anam produces Piñatex, a patented vegan leather made from pineapple leaves, which is generally discarded as waste. The material consists of 80% pineapple leaf fiber mixed with polylactic acid (PLA), a bioplastic derived from corn, which makes up the remaining 20% of the material. The pineapple leaves are sourced from the Philippines and the production takes place in Spain. The company claims that an average of 480 pineapple leaves produce around 10 sq. ft. of Piñatex. Ananas Anam received its B Corp Certification in 2020. As of May 2021, the company had employed 10 staff in the UK, with Piñatex being used in products such as footwear, clothing, handbags, accessories, automotive upholstery, and hotel interior installations in over 80 countries. 

Key customers and partnerships

By August 2022, Ananas Anam had collaborated with over 3,000 brands, including H&M, Skoda, Hugo Boss, Adidas, Nike, Hilton Bankside Hotel, Saucony , and Zara to supply Pinatex. The company had also reported a doubling of revenue every year between 2013 and 2019 as well as a 40% revenue growth for 2020. 

Apart from securing partnerships for its bio-based products, Ananas Anam, in February 2022 , along with Bananatex and Brazilian fashion company Regenerate Fashion, formed the “FIBRAL Material Alliance'' to promote the use of bio-based materials as a whole. FIBRAL would create an international and unified platform for all plant-based fibers made from materials including pineapple leaves, hemp, abaca, and agricultural waste by bringing together companies that work with both synthetic and bio-based materials. 

In July 2021, in order to scale its volume in the Philippines, Ananas Anam partnered with Dole Sunshine Company, a global leader in fruit and vegetable production, to obtain pineapple leaves from Dole’s harvested pineapple plant leaves. In October 2021, Ananas Anam revealed its short-term plans to increase its production by 10x by 2022. In the long run, it planned to expand its product portfolio across new verticals in order to create sustainable projects at a larger scale.

Funding and financials

In September 2021, Ananas Anam received USD 250,000 from the Greater London Investment Fund (GLIF), provided by the FSE Group and backed by the Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS). The funds were to be used to recruit additional senior staff and further develop its platform. The company also revealed that it will focus on expanding its reach into the upholstery and automotive industries.