From the Banana Plant to the Skin: Fibras Naturales Canarias Brings Sustainability to Gran Canaria Fashion
2025-10-14
The Cabildo promotes a meeting between a pioneering initiative from ULPGC and the designers of Gran Canaria Moda Cálida to integrate innovative and sustainable materials into their collections.
“An example of how innovation and Canarian identity can drive sustainable fashion on the island,” said Minerva Alonso, Councillor for Economic Development.
Gran Canaria, October 14, 2025. — In its commitment to innovation and sustainability, the Cabildo de Gran Canaria has organized a meeting between Fibras Naturales Canarias, an innovative project originating from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), and the designers of the Gran Canaria Moda Cálida program, with the goal of exploring the integration of new sustainable materials into their collections.
Minerva Alonso, Councillor for Economic Development, Industry, Commerce and Handicrafts of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, highlighted the importance of such initiatives:
“Projects like Fibras Naturales Canarias represent the perfect union between sustainability, Canarian identity, and the responsible use of our natural resources. The fact that a material like this can become part of fashion made on the island demonstrates how innovation and creativity can work hand in hand to position Gran Canaria as an international benchmark for sustainability and design.”
She also noted that this aspect is so important for the island’s government that,
“In the Gran Canaria Swim Week call, a brand’s commitment to sustainability is a highly valued and heavily weighted criterion. The use of sustainable materials and responsible processes, ethical or local production, and collaboration with local workshops and artisans are all taken into account.”
Meanwhile, Fibras Naturales Canarias founder and CEO, Néstor Santiago, emphasized the value that entering the local fashion sector would have for the project:
“For us, it would be a milestone if a designer from the island incorporated Musapiel into their collections. It would not only validate years of research and work, but also demonstrate that from the Canary Islands we can create unique materials that add value to fashion while respecting the environment.”
Designer Moisés Rivero, creator of the MR&G Design brand and member of Gran Canaria Moda Cálida, showcased some of the pieces that will accompany his swimwear collection at Gran Canaria Swim Week 2025, explaining that,
“With this collaboration, we fulfill our goal of always seeking innovation and creating with conscience.”
“The material surprised me — it’s very easy to cut, work with, and manipulate. But what’s most important is where it comes from and what it represents,” said Ruth Rodríguez, a Gran Canaria designer who created a vest using fibers from banana plants.
The meeting, driven by the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, seeks to create synergies between technological innovation and the creativity of the fashion sector, promoting the incorporation of responsible materials into local collections and strengthening Gran Canaria’s international reputation as a benchmark in sustainability and design.
Fibras Naturales Canarias is a technology-based company dedicated to the valorization of banana plant waste, transforming the trunk of the plant — once it has been cut after harvest — into natural fiber, pulp, and water. Over the years, the company has developed pioneering projects, such as a 3D printing filament used to make souvenirs, trophies, and decorative items, and it is currently in the process of certifying the extracted water for use as a fertilizer.
On this occasion, the company presented its new line of innovation under the brand Musapiel: a plant-based natural leather, plastic-free, compostable, and with a neutral water footprint. Its initial launch includes two proposals inspired by Canarian identity:
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Tajinaste, a reddish-toned leather achieved through the use of cochineal, and
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Drago Canelo, a brown shade evoking the strength and symbolism of the Canarian dragon tree.
With this development, Fibras Naturales Canarias takes another step in its commitment to the circular economy, offering designers a local (Km0), sustainable raw material deeply rooted in the identity of the archipelago.
About the Gran Canaria Moda Cálida Program
Gran Canaria Moda Cálida is an action program in the island’s textile and fashion sector, created and promoted by the Department of Economic Development, Industry, Commerce, and Handicrafts of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria.
For this institution, fashion is a growing sector with industrial expansion potential, and Gran Canaria Moda Cálida serves as the framework through which designers and companies support and develop their projects.
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