The Large Volume of Stems that Become Waste
Bananas, a familiar fruit worldwide, are primarily grown in tropical and subtropical regions like the Philippines and Ecuador, which also supply most of the bananas sold in Japan. Banana plants are resilient; after harvesting, new shoots emerge from the remaining stems, bearing fruit again within 3 to 6 months. To cultivate delicious bananas, farmers cut down the harvested stems, leaving only the new shoots. These cut stems are discarded, and globally, about 1 billion tons of banana stems are thrown away annually across 129 countries and regions.*
*Source: The Society of Fiber Science and Technology, Fibers and Industry Vol. 60, No. 1 (2004): Banana Textile Project

Natural Fibers from Waste Materials
Interestingly, each discarded banana stem, typically weighing around 25 kg, can yield 500 to 750 grams of fiber. Utilizing banana stems from food production eliminates the need for additional fields and resources, such as water, pesticides, and energy, to grow fiber crops specifically. Extracting natural fibers from what was once waste material to create fabric can contribute significantly to a recycling-oriented society.

effective use of resources
we can get 500g-750g fiber from one banana stem

 

Benefiting Farmers Too