Discarded pineapple leaves from Negros have been turned into award-winning sneakers, earning Filipino enterprise Creative Definitions a Best of the Best distinction at the 2026 Seoul Design Award in South Korea.
Its LAKAT Sneakers were among 10 main award winners selected from more than 1,200 participants across 91 countries. The award was presented on October 14 during Seoul Design Week, the Philippine Embassy in Seoul announced on October 26.
The sneakers rely on Philippine-developed technology to turn pineapple leaves left after fruit harvesting into textile fibers. Technology from the DOST – PTRI helps convert the fibers into yarn blended with cotton sourced from Negros Oriental.
Handloom weavers in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, make the fabric for the sneakers’ uppers. Nonwoven pineapple fibers are used in the insoles, while leftover fibers are incorporated into natural rubber outsoles. Shoemakers in San Mateo, Rizal, assemble the finished pairs.
The leaves are sourced from Indigenous communities in Don Salvador Benedicto, Negros Occidental. DOST-PTRI reports that Lakat’s production chain supports more than 70 people, including over 50 farmers, three yarn spinners, nine handloom weavers, and 10 shoemakers.
“The project’s strength lies in the relationships built among farmers, artisans, researchers, and designers. By connecting these groups through a shared production process, Lakat demonstrates how design can help address interconnected challenges, including vulnerable rural livelihoods, agricultural waste, and textile waste,” Creative Definitions representative Michael Claparols said.
Creative Definitions signed a technology licensing agreement with DOST-PTRI in June 2026, strengthening the commercial application of Philippine textile research. Lakat, whch unched in 2021, also earned recognition at Japan’s Good Design Award in 2024
Its latest win highlights how Philippine science and craftsmanship can turn agricultural waste into commercially produced footwear while supporting livelihoods in rural communities.
