Pineapple fiber - ecological fiber to protect the environment

ECO VINA PINEAPPLE FIBER: More beautiful and greener

My family is a traditional farmer, I - Nguyen Thi Nga holds a bachelor's degree in environmental technology from Da Lat University. Dreaming of starting a business with eco-friendly products, developing agricultural economy with farmers.

In 2006, I graduated from University, at that time the economy did not pay much attention to clean production and environmental protection. I had to put away her bachelor's degree, putting aside my dream of doing a job in the right field of study.

I had experienced many jobs from customer service, sales, debt collection during 9 years. Participating in short-term training courses at A.S.K. Luckily, I was to be introduced by Mr. Hoa to take a course for startups at BSSC Youth Startup Support Center.

In 2017, I established A.T.N Production Trading & Service Co., Ltd in the field of printing and gifts. In the process of providing products to customers, I noticed that many customers want to use eco-friendly products. In addition, the observation of consumer trends, and the current government's policies to develop a circular economy, it motivated me to find ecological materials to start a business to fulfil my dream.

Searching information on the Internet, I found that in Philippines, Thailand, Taiwan, … pineapple fiber used for weaving, paper production, fashion handbag production, super-hard materials many years ago with high economic value.

About pineapple trees: In Vietnam, the total planted area is more than 40,000 hectares. After harvest, around 6 million tons of leaves are discarded every year, which farmers remove by spraying herbicides to dry and then burning or hiring more workers to chop and compost in the field. This pollutes the environment and wastes resources. The pineapple consumption market is not stable, high yield, low price. 

At the beginning of 2020, there was a Covid 19 pandemic, the economy had a difficult time. Breaking the supply chain of raw materials for domestic industries that depend on imported materials. Especially, yarn materials for the textile and garment industry, the non-woven fabric industry lacks medical protective clothing and antibacterial masks due to a sudden increase in market demand.

I realized that the right time had come and decided to shake hands with friends in the group to research pineapple fibers.

The first six months of starting the research, a lot of lessons the group went through, the most difficult one was the technique to separate the pineapple fibers. We experimented many times by manually combining mechanically. The first spinning machine was born, adjusting the principle of changing the rotating parts, the beater, the washing faucet….several times during the experimental production at the pineapple farm.

At the beginning of 2021, learning techniques and experiences from other countries, combined with the experience of making machines, the research group obtained kilograms of standard pure yarn, bursting with joy.

In February 2021, when I wrote a post on the eco-products community on Facebook, a customer in London asked to buy dried pineapple fiber in bulk. Submit samples for viewing to customer, we have received positive feedbacks. ECO VINA PINEAPPLE FIBER is negotiating the requirements for yarn quality, output, and price that can be met when signing a supply contract, a closed production process with traceability at each stage of production.

 

In addition, there are customers from handicraft villages in Japan who want to buy processed pineapple fibers for weaving and weaving handicrafts. We are sending samples and negotiating the price. If everything goes well, we expect to supply textile yarn in the fourth quarter of 2021.

In Europe and other developed countries, they are very fond of products made from pineapple fibers, so the export market is very large.

 

The domestic market is very potential, a number of customers are research and application organizations. They purchase pineapple fibers for research and production Aerogel with relatively large sales.

 

Vietnamese companies which produce yarns, non-woven fabrics, composites, and Aerogel materials are the markets which Eco Vina Pineapple Fiber is targeting.

During the experimental production process and having the opportunity to work with pineapple plantations, the team realized that the production process required large resources: raw material area, leaf transportation, direct and indirect labor for production, factory for fiber separation, etc. After production, it is necessary to have technology and connect to the output market for leaf waste. I have been connected as young people who are great mind, generous, passionate about starting a business in Vietnam's agriculture. The team builds the production process, develops the market and connects with the farmers to prepare the stable raw material area, check and send samples to the institute to assess yarn parameters, the quality of the yarn to meets the requirements.

TEAM MEMBERS:

In the coming time, we will strengthen our marketing and communication strategies about products, and further promote domestic sales through multiple channels. At the same time, we will approach international sales channels for product export. We will cooperate with more pineapple farms and farmers to create more value for the community, provide jobs for local workers. We will research and invest more technology, produce hand-woven pineapple fiber products and mix pineapple fiber and other ecological fibers under our brand and produce organic fertilizer from pineapple leaves after spinning.

 

Orientation of ECO VINA PINEAPPLE FIBER is to builds a pioneering enterprise in producing pineapple fiber products with advanced technology, producing pineapple fiber from raw yarn to end-user products.

 

Fiber products will help to increase income of pineapple growers, contribute to the circular economy to reduce climate change and protect the environment.

 

ECO VINA PINEAPPLE FIBER is an ambassador which helps us to convey the message to consumers about a value system that follows nature and humanity to protect the earth.

 

ECO VINA PINEAPPLE FIBER: More beautiful and greener.