Transforming pineapple leaf fibres and locally produced cotton into affordable medical absorbent cotton wool while creating value from agricultural residues.
Date:
-
Location:
Ugana
Partners:
-
Research Area:
Decarbonizing Industry & Circular Economy
Sustainable Development Goals:
03 - Good Health and Well-Being, 08 - Decent Work and Economic Growth, 09 - Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production
Medical Absorbent Wool from Pineapple Leaf Fibres
The Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI) is developing an innovative medical textile that transforms pineapple leaf residues into affordable, locally produced absorbent cotton wool. The solution addresses two interconnected challenges in Uganda: the underutilization of agricultural residues and dependence on imported medical textile products. Pineapple leaves are generated in large quantities after harvesting and are commonly discarded, burned, or left to decompose, while medical absorbent cotton wool is largely sourced from outside the country.
The innovation uses a blend of pineapple leaf fibre and locally available cotton to produce absorbent medical cotton wool. Pineapple leaves are mechanically processed using a decorticator to extract the fibres, which are then alkali-treated and peroxide-bleached to improve whiteness and softness. The treated fibres are blended with cotton using carding equipment and consolidated through needle punching to form an absorbent cotton web that can be rolled, weighed, and cut into the required formats.
Circular Manufacturing and Local Health Benefits
The innovation creates value by connecting agricultural waste recovery with medical textile manufacturing. Instead of treating pineapple leaves as low-value agricultural residues, the project converts them into a useful material for healthcare applications while creating potential additional income opportunities for pineapple farmers. Combining pineapple fibre with locally available cotton also strengthens domestic textile value addition and reduces reliance on imported medical products.
Working prototypes of absorbent cotton wool have already been developed and technically validated at laboratory level. Proposed quality and performance testing includes whiteness, water-holding capacity, sinking time, fibre length, strength and elongation, micronaire, trash content, pH, and soluble substances. UIRI’s textile laboratory can support quality control and conformity with applicable standards. The approach has potential to reduce agricultural waste, support rural employment, strengthen local manufacturing capacity, and improve access to locally produced medical absorbent materials.
Clinical Validation and Scale-Up
The innovation is currently at the lab validation stage, with working prototypes successfully developed using pineapple leaf fibre and cotton. The next stage involves obtaining the necessary ethical approvals and conducting clinical trials, followed by pilot commercialization using UIRI’s existing laboratory production line.
For larger-scale deployment, UIRI plans to establish a dedicated medical textile production facility at UIRI Namanve, supplied by pineapple-growing regions and local cotton producers. Further support is required for clinical validation, production technology, commercialization, technical skills development, and facility establishment. The proposed value chain would connect farmers, fibre processors, textile manufacturers, and medical textile markets, providing a scalable model for circular resource use and local medical manufacturing in Uganda.
