A fruit company has partnered with a social enterprise to turn agricultural banana waste into fibres which are woven into textiles by prison inmates. The Dole Sunshine Company (DSC) is working with Musa Fabric on the programme in the Philippines which aims to reduce waste and CO2 emissions, while benefiting disadvantaged communities and prisoners. The resulting textiles are into fashion garments and accessories by local seamstresses and artists. A capsule collection made its public debut at New York Fashion Week.
DSC and Musa Fabric work with the Kasilak Develpopment Foundation to train marginalised communities in the highlands of Bukidnon, in the Northern Mindanao region of the Philippines, in extracting fibres from banana waste.
The subsequent yarn extracted from the waste is sent to the Davao Penal Colony where more than 100 female and male prisoners weave it into fabric. The woven fabric is then developed into fashion products, by the same communities in Bukidnon, before being exported to countries around the world.
DSC says the project will contribute to meeting its ‘three Dole promises’ – zero fruit loss, carbon neutrality and shared value for all stakeholders.
It will divert 200,000 metric tonnes of banana stem waste from landfill, reduce emissions by about 258,720 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) and create fashion garments worth $50 mn. The money raised would benefit the Kasilak Foundation, marginalised communities in the highlands of Bukidnon, and inmates at Davao Penal Colony.
Christian Wiegele, President of fresh produce at DSC, said: “Aside from working towards zero fruit loss by 2025, the Dole Promise also includes committing to creating shared value for all our stakeholders.
“Our collaboration with Musa Fabric allows us to not just reduce, but upcycle and repurpose banana waste, and to also create a sustainable source of income and employment for the local community while boosting the employability of the inmates at Davao Penal Colony after their release, making this move much more meaningful and purposeful.”
Joy Soo, Founder of Musa Fabric, added: “Our runway showcase of fashion products developed with banana waste fibre was widely appreciated at New York Fashion Week.
“Consumers around the world are getting more conscious about their choices and have begun to demand planet-friendly and people-friendly fashion options. The collaboration with Dole Sunshine Company is very important in highlighting the applications of upcycled banana fibres.”
