Harvested from the leaves of Pineapples! This biodegradable cellulose fiber is super strong and lustrous. The long staple length and natural cool touch will bring your fiber projects to the next level. While the pineapple plant, belonging to the family bromliaceae, is primarily farmed for its fruit, the leaves of a pineapple plant contain approximately 3% of strong, silky, naturally white fibers. These long fibers can be extracted from the leaves either by retting or mechanical means. First cultivated for this purpose in the Philippines and called Pina, the cloth woven out of this fiber was once in wide demand. However, when cheaper cotton flooded the market, international interest in this fiber dwindled. Now, it is making a comeback! The environmentally mindful are interested in taking waste pineapple plant parts and using them to more widely manufacture into fiber and fabric. The pineapple fiber has a very long staple and behaves similarly to silk and flax. If you're having a hard time spinning the roving try carding this fiber on hand cards, in order to open up the fibers and make a spinnable puni/rolag. If you'd like to spin the roving as is, practice drafting with a longer distance from your drafting triangle. The resulting yarn will be strong and lustrous, suitable for next to skin wear! Rest assured this fiber will soften with wear and wash. If you wish to dye this fiber, use a cellulose dye such as our selections of Procion MX reactive dye.
