In rural Guatemala, the pineapple harvest doesn't end when the fruit is collected. What remains are thousands of pounds of leaves and agricultural residues, much of which has traditionally been burned or left behind.
For generations, this has been considered a normal part of agricultural production. But what if those discarded leaves could become something valuable? What if agricultural waste could create jobs, support rural communities, and become part of the global textile industry?
That question became the foundation of PINA&KAKAW, a company my wife, Daniela Sagastume, and I co-founded in May 2025.
Our mission is to transform post-harvest pineapple waste into natural textile fiber while creating economic opportunities in the communities where that waste originates.
What began as an idea has become a journey involving farmers, machinery, textile engineers, manufacturing trials, and countless challenges. Along the way, we've learned that developing a sustainable material is only part of the equation. Building a viable business around it is an entirely different challenge.
Finding Value Where Others See Waste
Before starting PINA&KAKAW, I spent several years leading environmental operations in Guatemala, including helping establish 4ocean's operations in the country. During that time, our teams removed more than four million pounds of plastic and waste from waterways and coastlines while creating over 50 local jobs.
That experience fundamentally shaped how I view environmental challenges.
I learned that lasting environmental solutions must involve the communities most directly affected. They also need to create economic opportunities, not simply address environmental damage.
When Daniela and I began exploring agricultural waste, we recognized a similar opportunity.
Pineapple cultivation generates significant quantities of biomass after each harvest. Instead of treating that material as something to dispose of, we began looking at it as a potential raw material.
Our approach involves collecting pineapple leaves directly from farms, extracting their natural fibers, and preparing those fibers for textile manufacturing. The remaining organic material is directed toward composting, creating an opportunity to return nutrients to agricultural soils.
The goal is a circular system in which agricultural residues become resources rather than waste.
Building Something From the Ground Up
One of our biggest challenges was understanding how to transform a pineapple leaf into a material that existing textile manufacturers could actually use.
Pineapple fiber itself isn't new. The Philippines has a centuries-old tradition of producing textiles from pineapple leaves, and companies such as Ananas Anam have developed modern commercial applications.
We are not claiming to have invented pineapple fiber.
Our opportunity lies in establishing a production model in Guatemala, connecting agricultural communities with an established textile manufacturing industry, and developing fibers suitable for commercial spinning and fabric production.
Producing a beautiful handmade textile is one achievement. Producing consistent fiber that can move through industrial spinning equipment and meet manufacturers' quality requirements is another.
We have spent months working through fiber extraction, cleaning, processing, blending, spinning, knitting, and dyeing trials.
Some experiments worked. Others required adjustments.
Our initial development has focused on blending approximately 20% pineapple fiber with 80% cotton. Working with textile manufacturers, we have successfully produced yarn and knitted jersey fabrics using pineapple fiber collected and processed in Guatemala.
We've also explored blends with wool and are developing trials incorporating recycled polyester for applications such as carpets and rugs.
Each application brings different technical requirements. Fiber length, softness, strength, consistency, and production losses all affect whether a material can become commercially viable.
These challenges cannot be solved through sustainability claims alone. The product has to perform.
Measuring Impact Beyond the Material
Since beginning operations, PINA&KAKAW has diverted more than 150,000 pounds of pineapple agricultural biomass from conventional disposal and potential burning pathways.
We've also assessed our environmental impact using the Food and Agriculture Organization's EX-ACT methodology, which evaluates greenhouse gas impacts associated with agricultural and land-use activities.
Our assessment estimates 76 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions impact associated with our activities.
But environmental measurements tell only part of our story.
Our operation supports a local team, with women playing a central role in fiber processing and production.
For us, creating employment opportunities for women and young people in rural Guatemala is not an additional benefit. It is part of the business model.
We've watched team members learn to operate machinery, develop technical skills, and take responsibility for production activities that didn't previously exist in their communities.
Sustainable development should create tangible benefits for the people participating in it.
The Challenge of Bringing a New Material to Market
One of the most important lessons we've learned is that environmental impact alone doesn't guarantee commercial success.
Textile manufacturers operate in an extremely competitive industry. They need materials that meet technical requirements, arrive consistently, and make economic sense.
A manufacturer may appreciate our environmental mission, but if the yarn doesn't perform properly in their machinery or the resulting fabric fails quality tests, that mission won't be enough.
We have engaged in more than 150 conversations with industry professionals, potential customers, technical specialists, and other stakeholders while refining our product and understanding market expectations.
Currently, three potential customers are evaluating our materials for different applications, including flooring and carpets, hospitality textiles, and specialized performance textiles.
These are testing relationships, not confirmed commercial contracts. But they represent meaningful progress toward understanding where pineapple fiber can offer practical value.
We've also benefited from technical exchanges with specialists in Asia, particularly the Philippines, where pineapple fiber has a long history.
Rather than attempting to build everything independently, we believe collaboration and knowledge exchange are essential to developing a competitive industry.
From Rural Guatemala to the International Stage
In 2026, PINA&KAKAW was awarded first place in Guatemala's ClimateLaunchPad competition, followed by first place in the Central American regional competition.
Those achievements earned us the opportunity to represent Central America at the ClimateLaunchPad Global Finals in Singapore.
For a company that began operating just over a year ago, the experience has been significant.
But recognition is not the destination.
Our next challenge is moving from successful technical trials toward consistent commercial production, securing long-term customers, improving manufacturing efficiency, and expanding opportunities for the communities working with us.
There is still much to learn.
Rethinking What We Call Waste
When Daniela and I started PINA&KAKAW, we knew we wanted to create something that combined environmental responsibility with economic opportunity.
What we didn't fully appreciate was how much patience, experimentation, and persistence would be required to build an entirely new value chain.
We've learned that circularity isn't simply about finding another use for discarded materials. It's about creating systems where farmers, workers, processors, manufacturers, and customers can all participate and benefit.
Guatemala has agricultural resources, manufacturing capabilities, and talented people who can contribute to this transition.
Our work is about connecting those strengths.
We are still early in this journey, and many challenges remain. But every batch of fiber processed, every textile trial completed, and every new opportunity created reinforces why we started.
**What was once burned can become fiber. What was once considered waste can become economic value.
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And perhaps most importantly, the next generation of sustainable textile materials can create opportunities in the very communities where their raw materials originate.
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Published Nov 2, 2026 8am EST / 5am PST / 1pm GMT / 2pm CET