NEW TEXTILES FROM BANANA STALKS

NEW TEXTILES FROM BANANA STALKS I always get excited whenever I "discover" a new product that could be produced out of waste, in turn creating new sources for our poor people, especially our marginalized farmers. That is the feeling I had when I "discovered" that Bananatex, a new product that was using banana stalks. . I have been exchanging emails with Mr. Hannes Schoenegger, the Chairman and President of the company that makes it. Wikipedia describes Bananatex as "a natural cellulosic biodegradable "technical" canvas fabric made of Abacá banana plant fibres (also known as Manila hemp). The plants are grown in the Philippines as part of a sustainable forestry project in Catanduanes. Bananatex was developed and is distributed by the Swiss canvas goods company QWSTION and is used in the company's own products as well as in other companies' manufactured goods. Bananatex was developed to have better wear characteristics than cotton while being more sustainable. It is less durable than synthetics like Cordura, and can biodegrade. Bananatex is sold in a range of colours and is available with or without a natural beeswax waterproof coating". However, according to ChatGPT, "bananas and abaca are not the same species, though they are closely related. Both belong to the genus Musa, but they are different species within that genus. Bananas (Musa spp.) are primarily cultivated for their fruit. They are often divided into two main types: dessert bananas and plantains, which are used for cooking. Abaca (Musa textilis) is also known as Manila hemp. It is grown primarily for its fiber, which is used in making rope, textiles, and other products. The fiber from abaca is known for its strength and durability. So, while they share the same genus, their primary uses and specific characteristics are quite different". My conclusion is that either way, Bananatex could be made out of both bananas and abaca, and it does not really matter which is which. What is important is that the QWSTION company is now fully committed to helping the Philippines to develop the product, so that it could help more Filipino farmers. According to Mr. Schoenegger, their goal is "to engage with many thousand communities and smallholder farmers for future fibre production. The program is called fibre for future and has the goal to include 5,000 farmers in Mindanao. We want to give those people a good and stable income. It takes time, as we have to work with many industries from fashion to footwear to automotive, who are used to work with for example polyester materials, which are much cheaper". Since the QWSTION company has already started the ball rolling, my wish now is that the Philippine government will now come forward to help Mr. Schoenegger. In line with that, I will start reaching out to the Forest Products Research and Development Institute (FPRDI), the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). IKE SENERES/09-03-2024