Banana fibre

Green Banana Paper

Species: Banana tree
Typology of material: Paper
Parts of the species used: Stalk
Other elements used: None
State of development: Currently on the market.
Extra information shared: Post-harvest / waste banana trees are used as resources. No chemicals to bleach or whiten the papers are used.

Green Banana Paper is a vegan product from agricultural banana waste in Kosrae, Micronesia. All products they make feature banana fibre paper, a naturally beautiful and strong plant-based material. Products include banana paper wallets, custom business cards, greeting cards, artist paper and more. They extract the fibres from sustainably sourced banana trees grown at local farms in Kosrae, Micronesia. In their paper-making process, the fibres fuse together on a microscopic level to create a leather-like paper material that is lightweight, tear-resistant, and biodegradable. It is important to note, however, that banana paper is less supple than leather which may limit its role as a true leather replacement for shoes, handbags and other accessories.

Text submitted by the maker and edited by the Future Materials Bank. For information about reproducing (a part of) this text, please contact the maker.