The search for better, planet-friendly footwear material has revealed a solution in an unlikely ingredient - pineapple leaves. The unique textile ingredient is the recent focus of the latest footwear design collaboration between Ananas Anam, Tencel and Calvin Klein, launching Calvin Klein’s first-ever trainer featuring a knitted upper made of Piñayarn blended with Tencel Lyocell fibres.

Known as The Sustainable Knit Trainer, the trainers are said to be a timeless closet staple, available in classic colours such as black and off-white, etched with the signature Calvin Klein logo. The Piñayarn knit upper, made from 70% Tencel Lyocell and 30% Anam PALF pineapple leaf fibre, is both from botanic origin and biobased.

According to Lenzing, as the fashion sector has begun to realise the negative environmental effects of synthetic materials, a lot of brands have turned towards plant-based materials such as Piñayarn. Using a low-impact manufacturing process, Piñayarn is derived from pineapple leaf waste and involves a water-free spinning process. The addition of Tencel Lyocell, a fibre made from wood pulp obtained from responsibly managed forests and produced using a solvent spinning process that recycles both the solvent and water at a recovery rate of more than 99%, offers full traceability of the Tencel fibre in the final blended yarn.

Melissa Braithwaite, Piñayarn Product Development Manager at Ananas Anam commented : “The inspiration for Piñayarn came from the need to provide the textile industry with an alternative to overused, often polluting, conventional fibres, such as cotton or polyester. We have an abundance of available raw material within our business, and broadening our product offering means we can valorise more waste, increasing our positive impact on the environment and society.”

Indeed, Lenzing says, as the consumer demand for more eco-responsible textile products and footwear grows, so too has the popularity of wood-based fibres as a material alternative. Ananas Anam and Tencel’s collaboration with Calvin Klein has been a success in that the physical characteristics and planet-conscious benefits of both Piñayarn and Tencel fibres complement each other perfectly, creating a blended material that is soft and usable for various knitted and woven applications.

For material developers like Ananas Anam seeking the ideal fibre blend partner to create Piñayarn, Tencel Lyocell fibres is celebrated for its versatility and ability to be blended with a wide range of textiles such as hemp, linen and of course Anam PALF pineapple leaf fibre, to enhance the aesthetics, performance and functionality of fabrics.

Additionally, beyond being used in shoe uppers, Tencel Lyocell fibers can be used in every part of the shoe including the upper fabric, lining, insoles, padding, laces, zipper and sewing thread. Tencel Lyocell can also be used in powder form for use in the outsoles of shoes.

“We are extremely excited about this collaboration with Ananas Anam for the launch of The Sustainable Knit Trainer by Calvin Klein, an eco-responsible and planet-friendly shoe for conscious consumers. This partnership is the perfect example of our commitment to provide education and expertise to support anyone who chooses to improve the environmental and social credentials of their products by using more responsible materials,” said Nicole Schram, Global Business Development Manager at Lenzing.

Tencel.com