Pineapple leather: what it is and how it becomes a sandal
Pineapple leather is a natural textile made from the fibres of pineapple leaves. It is the black material you see on every pair of Kirila sandals.
What is pineapple leather?
Pineapple leather is not animal leather. It is a non-woven textile made from the long fibres of pineapple leaves. Once the fibres are felted together and finished, the material looks and wears much like leather.
The leaves are what is left on the plantation after the fruit has been harvested, so the raw material needs no extra land, water or fertiliser to grow.
How is pineapple leather made?
- The long fibres are separated from the leftover leaves.
- The fibres are washed and dried in the sun.
- The dry fibres are felted together with polylactic acid, a fibre made from plant starch, into a soft non-woven mesh.
- The mesh is coloured and given a thin protective coating.
What is it made of?
The pineapple leather in our sandals consists of:
- 72% pineapple leaf fibre
- 18% polylactic acid (PLA)
- 5% bio-based PU
- 5% PU
The material is recyclable and compostable, free of harmful chemicals, and its fibres are traceable. The last two ingredients form the thin coating that protects the surface, which is why we do not describe the material as completely plastic-free.
How does pineapple leather wear?
Pineapple leather is light and breathes with your skin. Its surface has a natural, slightly creased grain, so no two pairs look exactly alike.
In our sandals it is backed with vegetable-tanned cow leather, which keeps the straps in shape while they gradually adapt to your foot.
Are pineapple leather sandals vegan?
Pineapple leather itself contains nothing of animal origin. Kirila sandals are still not vegan: the straps are backed with vegetable-tanned cow leather, and the sole combines cow leather with rubber.
The other materials in our sandals
- Vegetable-tanned leather
- Vegetable-tanned leather is cow leather tanned with tannins from plants instead of chromium salts. We use it to back the straps, for the ankle straps and for the sole.
- Rubber
- A layer of rubber on the sole gives grip and takes the wear of walking.
- Linen and cotton
- Natural fabrics that complete the materials we work with.
How to care for pineapple leather sandals
- Wipe off dust and dirt with a soft, damp cloth.
- If the sandals get wet, let them dry at room temperature, away from heaters and direct sun.
- Do not soak them or wash them in a washing machine.
