Banofi Leather, a material science company based in India, has introduced a groundbreaking plant-based leather made from banana crop waste after extensive research. Learn more about Banofi Leather at https://www.banofileather.com
This innovative vegan leather is designed to address multiple environmental challenges. By significantly reducing water consumption, it eliminates the need for the 10,000 liters required to produce a single leather bag and ensures a 100% reduction in toxic wastewater, cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 90% compared to traditional animal leather. This process also helps mitigate the impact of the 120 million tons of banana waste generated annually. Additionally, the business supports one million banana farmers in India, many of whom earn less than $2 per day.
Founded by entrepreneur Jinali Mody, Banofi Leather was inspired by her mission to find sustainable alternatives to resource-intensive and polluting materials. Jinali’s extensive background, including her consulting experience with McKinsey & Co., a degree in biochemistry, and her education at the Yale School of Environment, equipped her to lead this initiative. Her journey began with a pitch for the $25,000 award from Startup Yale’s Sustainable Venture Prize, which provided the financing for Banofi Leather’s development. The start-up has received tremendous support from Yale’s entrepreneurship community at TSAI city, the School of Management, and the Centre for Business and the Environment.
In 2023, Banofi Leather won first place at the Wege Prize, a circularity-focused competition judged by experts from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. The company has also received notable support from the Ministry of Agriculture in India, including the RKVY-RAFTAAR grant for their work with smallholder farmers. Their achievements were further recognized with the WEF Global Talent Award for commitment to the UN SDGs, and they received the Best Vegan Leather accolade from PETA India. Banofi Leather was also a finalist at the Lakme Circular Design Challenge, which featured industry leaders and climate activists.
Most recently, Banofi Leather was awarded the Hult Prize, the world’s largest social entrepreneurship competition, which included a $1 million prize presented by Stella McCartney, a pioneer in sustainable fashion. This prestigious award came after competing with over 10,000 teams globally.
Banofi’s proprietary material comprises 35% banana stem waste, 45% natural additives, and 20% polymers (although the company is on a mission to reduce its dependence on synthetics). This material not only recycles a substantial amount of banana waste but also ensures a 100% reduction in toxic wastewater and 95% less CO2 emissions compared to animal leather. It is noted for its strength, texture, and durability, making it suitable for a range of applications in fashion, furniture, and automotive industries. Visit https://www.banofileather.com/ for more information.
Banofi Leather now displays a unique USDA label that highlights its percentage of biobased content. Third-party verification for a product's biobased content is administered through the USDA BioPreferred® Program, which strives to increase the development, purchase, and use of biobased products.
As of late 2023, Banofi Leather has moved to small-scale pilot manufacturing, allowing them to troubleshoot issues and receive valuable feedback for future scaling. Over 50 global brands are currently trialing their material, and Banofi recently launched its products on the runway with luxury design house Jade by Monica and Karishma. Banofi Leather has also participated in prominent global events such as Texworld, Future Fabric, and Prefece, receiving further recognition. Jan Lo, CEO of the luxury bag brand Lo & Sons, commended Jinali Mody’s dedication to innovation, noting, “She is not taking the shortcut; she is really exploring different innovative ways to create something sustainable that feels premium.”
Overall, India, the world’s largest banana producer, generates an astonishing 4 tons of waste for every ton of fruit harvested. This surplus, however, has been ingeniously repurposed by a team of polymer scientists, material scientists, chemical engineers, leather technologists, and designers. Their combined expertise drives the creation of a sustainable alternative to conventional leather.
Annually, India produces over 120 million tons of banana waste. Over a million banana farmers, often earning less than $2 a day, are left struggling with the economic burden of this waste. “Our research revealed an opportunity to not only find a more sustainable alternative to traditional leather but also to make a significant socioeconomic impact,” says Jinali Mody, founder of Banofi Leather. Banana plants yield fruit only once per stalk, leaving the stems as waste after each harvest. These stems, rich in nutrients and remarkably versatile, have proven ideal for creating plant-based leather. For more information, visit the Banofi Leather website at https://www.banofileather.com
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For more information about Banofi Leather, contact the company here:
Banofi Leather
Neha Singh
+91 8100102890
contact@banofileather.com
Rs. Dag No. 1217, Karbala Kumrakhali, P.O. Narendrapur, Rajpur Sonarpur, West Bengal 700103
