From the fields to the fashion runway

Once considered a discarded agricultural byproduct, pineapple leaves from pineapple plantations in Thanh Hoa, Ninh Binh, and other provinces have become a material for highly wearable fashion designs showcased on international and Vietnamese fashion runways.

Báo Thanh niên•29/07/2025

Pineapples are a highly profitable agricultural product, so they are grown year-round, from North to South Vietnam. Vietnam has over 47,000 hectares of pineapple plantations, ranking third among the largest pineapple-producing countries in Southeast Asia.

Từ ruộng đồng đến sàn diễn thời trang- Ảnh 1. — Pineapple fibers are dried in the sun after being pressed and roughly separated by a mechanical machine.

After harvesting the fruit, pandan leaves become a difficult and labor-intensive agricultural waste to dispose of due to their toughness, hardness, and thorns. For a long time, farmers have had to hire threshing machines to dry the leaves quickly or spray herbicides to burn them before burning. Approximately 2.5 million tons of pandan leaves become waste each year, releasing an estimated 1,355 kg of _CO2 per ton of burned leaves.

The unit has only exploited 30% of Vietnam's pineapple leaf production. If growth is good, the unit will continue to exploit fiber from major pineapple growing regions such as Dong Thap, Can Tho ... and from neighboring countries such as Laos, Thailand, Cambodia...

Ecosoi representative

Transforming waste into natural clothing materials.

The pineapple fields in her hometown of Thanh Hoa became the inspiration for Vu Thi Lieu's startup, Ecosoi, in 2021. The environmental science graduate and her colleagues began researching how to transform waste into garment materials, starting with pineapple fiber as the first handcrafted product. However, Ms. Lieu recounted that when she introduced and offered the pineapple fiber for sale, everyone praised it but didn't buy it because they didn't know what to use it for. Ecosoi continued to spin the fiber into yarn, but still couldn't sell it, so they had to research weaving pineapple fiber into pineapple fabric. Thanks to the support of Vietnamese sustainable fashion designers, the early, rustic pineapple fabric was showcased in Europe, Japan, and other countries, gaining international recognition.

Từ ruộng đồng đến sàn diễn thời trang- Ảnh 2. — Model Chau Bui wore a pineapple silk ao dai from designer Vu Viet Ha's *Binh Minh* collection.

In late June, pineapple fiber fabric – a purely Vietnamese garment material – was officially launched under the name Pina Lina, becoming the first fabric made from indigenous resources in Vietnam to receive _CO2 emission reduction certification. The collaboration of three entities – Ecosoi, Faslink, and Trung Quy – connected farmers, engineers, and fashion designers. A large quantity of pineapple leaves were not burned, contributing to reduced _CO2 emissions; the process of making pineapple fiber fabric did not consume additional resources and also provided farmers with additional income of approximately 60 million VND per hectare of cultivated land. This natural material also became a bridge connecting farmers to an important link in the green fashion industry and opening a new chapter of sustainable fashion in Vietnam.

Từ ruộng đồng đến sàn diễn thời trang- Ảnh 3. — Outfits made from pineapple fabric by designer Ngo Hoang Kha.

Bringing Vietnamese materials to the world fashion map.

Designer Pham Ngoc Anh was the first to incorporate raw pineapple fabric into a collection showcased in Switzerland in 2022, and later introduced it on Shark Tank season 5. Since then, she has continued to create many new collections using improved versions of pineapple fabric, presenting them at Paris (France) and London (England) Fashion Weeks in 2024.

Từ ruộng đồng đến sàn diễn thời trang- Ảnh 4. — Outfits made from pineapple fabric by designer Ngo Hoang Kha were showcased at the Elle fashion show.

Designer Vu Viet Ha introduced industrially produced "version 1" pineapple fabric into his "Sunrise" collection, showcased in Tokyo during the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan (2023). He used pineapple fabric woven with silk threads, hand-dyed, and hand-embroidered on a 1930s-style ao dai (Vietnamese traditional dress) silhouette with stylized flared sleeves, creating a youthful and free-spirited look. Pineapple fabric has also become a favorite material for designers Ngo Hoang Kha, Thanh Giang, Linh Sau, Lily Hoang, and others.

The new generation of pineapple fiber fabric is likened to Vietnam's linen, offering a rustic, soft, and breathable feel, suitable for tropical climates. The material possesses natural properties such as sun protection and odor control, is biodegradable, maintains its shape well, and can be widely applied to modern fashion trends. The +84 - Pineapple, Fragrant, and Sweet collection, showcased at the recent "Fragrant Wear" exhibition, provides specific examples of pineapple fiber fashion, including shirts, trousers, blazers, sportswear, fabric bags, hair ties, socks, and more.

Từ ruộng đồng đến sàn diễn thời trang- Ảnh 5. — Designs by fashion designer Pham Ngoc Anh on the international runway.

According to Ecosoi representatives, the company has only exploited 30% of Vietnam's pineapple leaf production. If growth continues, the company will expand to exploit fiber from major pineapple-growing regions such as Dong Thap and Can Tho, as well as from neighboring countries like Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tu-ruong-dong-den-san-dien-thoi-trang-185250729005738392.htm