Ananas Anam partners with automotive technology leader Forvia to co-develop natural and low impact materials for automotive interiors made from waste pineapple leaf fibres.
Ananas Anam announced today their Joint Development Agreement with Forvia, the world’s 7th leading automotive technology company, to co-develop an innovative, vegan and plant-based interior materials made from sustainably sourced pineapple leaf fibre. This co-development is announced in conjunction with the formation of Forvia’s new material unit MATERI’ACT to develop and manufacture cutting-edge sustainable materials.
The Joint Development Agreement facilitates industry-leading knowledge sharing between Ananas Anam’s expertise in developing low impact textiles using pineapple leaf fibres, and Forvia’s expertise and knowledge as leaders in the automotive technology market.
Ananas Anam is the first company in the world to process pineapple leaf fibres to textile grade at scale. With a strong client presence and focus already on the footwear, fashion and interior industries, this Joint Development Agreement marks the next stage of Ananas Anam’s evolution while diversifying their product offering into the automotive sector.
In the past, natural fibres have been used in low value and invisible parts of the automotive industry; Through the Joint Development Agreement the aim is to bring value to low impact, underrepresented natural fibres and showcase them visibly in car interiors. Pineapple leaf fibre brings a solution that contributes to the sustainable feedstock and supports the efforts of brands and industries to meet their Route to Zero targets, while maintaining a low environmental impact and bringing social impact to rural farming communities.
“One of my first prototypes was a car seat using Piñatex, which was part of my PhD Exhibition in 2015. I used a second-hand Mercedes car seat which enabled me to show the potential that this new plant-base material could bring to the automotive industry, as well as the possibility to bring to reality Ananas Anam mission: Every textile we make and every fibre we regenerate fight for a better planet. This exciting and breakthrough partnership with Forvia makes the potential I perceived in Piñatex at its early days a reality, while consolidating a very important market breakthrough for our company”, explains Dr Carmen Hijosa, Founder and Chief Creative & Innovation Officer at Ananas Anam
By developing strong partnerships for bio-based material development, Ananas Anam aligns their vision with industrial partners to scale up production and impact. Forvia is the first corporation within the automotive industry whose net zero emissions objective is validated by the Science Based Target initiatives.
With the combined vision on making positive change to the planet and people will be the driving force to bring truly sustainable material solutions to the automotive market in the near future.