Bananas are harvested from plantations - the stems and trunks usually discarded. Banana stems are collected for use as a natural fiber. Requires less energy, fertilizer and chemicals than conventional paper.

Handmade or produced by machinery. Banana fibers are ground down to saw-dust like appearance. Fiber is washed to remove natural resins. The fibers are pulped to create post-consumer fiber. The post consumer fiber is mixed with agricultural fiber to make banana paper. It has also been used to make pens, and other stationary items.

• Compostable

• Renewable

• Does not require chemicals during manufacturing

• By-product of the banana industry

• low density

• high stiffness

• high tensile strength

• Long fibers - good for strenght