The National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT), under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI), has provided funding for a circular economy innovation project to transform agricultural waste from pineapple fibers into leather substitutes in Ratchaburi Province.
The project is led by the Kasetsart Agricultural and Agro-Industrial Product Improvement Institute (KAPI), with Dr. Rangsima Chonlakup, an expert researcher as the project leader.
The research team has been tasked with transferring pineapple fiber processing technology that is easy to produce and use at the community level, as well as knowledge on cost-effectiveness studies for sustainable commercial use, to the Ban Kha Natural Fiber Production Group and the Agave Fiber Processing and Innovation Group in Ban Yang Khu, Ratchaburi Province.
As Thailand is the world’s number one exporter of processed pineapples, there is a large amount of waste left over from production. Adding value to pineapple fibers is a cost-effective way to use resources. The project help reducing the amount of incineration, which causes pollution and also reduces reliance on animal skins, which impacts the environment and animal ethics. Furthermore, the products offer outstanding properties such as durability, water resistance, and practicality. The appearance and texture of the pineapple fiber are also unique, conveying a sense of nature and adding charm to the product.
The project activities included technology transfer to community enterprise groups, teaching participants to produce a wet-laid process that is easy to implement, developing coating techniques to create a leather-like substance, and teaching them how to sew and process textile products. Furthermore, the project also explored the product’s cost-effectiveness to promote sustainable careers for locals.
These activities further enhance the utilization of agricultural waste pineapple fibers into value-added materials. In addition to reducing agricultural waste, these activities also create new income opportunities for farmers and communities, aligning with the key goals of improving quality of life and solving the problem of poverty sustainably at the national and regional levels. Participants are free of charge. The university provides key resources and aims to mobilize resources from various sources to achieve this goal.
This circular economy innovation development project has received funding from the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT) and has collaborated with the following institution/agencies:
1. Department of Textile Science, Faculty of Agro-Industry, Kasetsart University
2. Department of Textile Chemical Technology, Faculty of Textile Industry and Fashion Design Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon
3. Department of Textile Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Textile Industry, Rajamangala University of Technology Krungthep
4. Ban Kha Natural Fiber Production Community Enterprise Group
5. Ban Yang Khu Plant Fiber Processing and Agave Innovation Community Enterprise Group
6. The Women’s Group of Sisal Weaving, Hub Kaphong, Ratchaburi Province
7. District Agricultural Office, Ratchaburi Province
A product sample from pineapple fiber processing was also presented on the TV program on Thai PBS Channel, broadcast on January 21, 2015.
Link: https://www.thaipbs.or.th/program/WanmaiVariety/watch/OH2gPp
