The object
Carmen Hijosa invented Piñatex, a nonwoven sheet material made from pineapple-leaf fibre. It turns agricultural leaf waste into a leather alternative for footwear, fashion and interiors, creating a tangible material route that connects agricultural residues with textile and product design.
01
What Carmen did
Invented Piñatex, a manufactured nonwoven material made from pineapple-leaf fibres as an alternative to leather.
02
Why it matters
Piñatex established a widely recognised manufactured alternative to leather made from pineapple-leaf waste.
03
Living-status check
The October 2025 Sustainable Innovation conference biography identifies Hijosa as Ananas Anam's Founder and Chief Creative & Innovation Officer and states that she developed Piñatex.