For every new tech development, there’s a catwalk to showcase it. Excitingly enough, we’re living in a time where people want to know where their clothes come from, who makes them, what they’re made from and whether they’ll get to sleep at night once they find out. Ethically-sourced, sustainable, fair trade – the buzzwords ring out like an alarm, and the index of criterion we seek has become a shopping list in itself. Happily, even the most earth-conscious of fashionistas can unclench thanks to Piñatex – a revolutionary material invented by Dr Carmen Hijosa.

Made from upcycling the leafy by-product of pineapples, Dr Hijosa discovered she could use the long fibres to make a non-woven fabric. The result was something remarkably like leather, and with no extra land, water, fertilisers or pesticides required to make it, you could run out of ink marking all the eco-boxes this product ticks. It’s impressively sustainable, cruelty-free, durable, vegan and the most fashionable thing we’ve ever seen anyone do with compost. It wins a clear-cut gold medal in the upcycling event. Rather than offering an official product line, Piñatex is sold by the metre through Ananas Anam, and is ready for purchase and world domination. Eat it up!