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The pineapple contains extraordinarily fine, yet incredibly strong fibers. The leaves grow up to sixty inches in length and produce equally long fibers. The manufacture of pineapple fibers into cloth in the Philippines is a centuries-old enterprise that remains virtually unchanged, despite efforts to mechanize the industry. Today, small farmers in the Aklan province continue to supplement their incomes by growing pineapple for the cultivation of textile fiber. Traditionally, mature leaves are harvested by hand. After the thorny strip is removed from each side, the leaf is laid upon a board and scraped, often with a broken plate, to remove the pulp and reveal the fiber. Coarse white fibers called bastos are peeled away and used to make twine. An additional scraping produces liniwan fibers, which are more delicate than human hair and saved to craft piña. Craftspeople gently wash the fibers under running water or in a stream or river to prevent tangles. Any remaining pulp is removed, and the fibers are then dried in the sun. Shorter or damaged fibers are carefully extracted from the bundle. See "From Pineapple to Piña: A Philippine Textile Treasure" on display, post-security, in Harvey Milk Terminal 1 and online at: https://bit.ly/PineappletoPina
This image was posted on July 12, 2022.