Pine Kazi: Meet 3 Kenyans Who Make Shoes, Handbags From Pineapple Waste

• Olivia Okinyi, Mike Langat and Angela Musyoka explained that when they founded Pine Kazi, their goal was to use pineapple trash to create environmentally beneficial shoes
• The trio, who are alumni of Africa Nazarene University, employ the youth to assist them in gathering abandoned pineapple debris from farms
• After being delivered to the production facility, the pineapple trash is separated, cleaned, and made into sustainable textiles

TUKO.co.ke journalist Japhet Ruto brings over eight years of experience in financial, business, and technology reporting, offering deep insights into Kenyan and global economic trends.

Three innovative Kenyans are providing a sustainable alternative to traditional leather by manufacturing eco-friendly shoes and handbags from pineapple waste.

Olivia Okinyi, Mike Langat and Angela Musyoka explained that when they founded the business, they aimed to use pineapple trash to create environmentally beneficial shoes.

The trio, alumni of Africa Nazarene University, employ the youth to assist them in gathering abandoned pineapple debris from fields.

How Awuor, Langat and Angela founded Pine Kazi

Angela, Langat and Olivia joined hands in 2019 to establish Pine Kazi, a company that turns leftover pineapple waste into sustainable textiles.

The leftover byproduct from the pineapple trash is used to make items like purses and shoes.

After seeing the enormous amounts of pineapple debris at a pineapple farm in Thika, Kiambu county, the trio decided to start the company.

The enormous heap of trash inspired the three to consider a business venture that would allow them to use the waste effectively. This prompted them to establish Pine Kazi.

“The way we work is simple: we transform unemployed youths in the community to Pine Kazi contractors who collect the discarded pineapple waste from the farm,” Olivia explained, as shared in a video by the European Union in Kenya.

How pineapple waste is converted to textile

After being delivered to the production facility, the pineapple trash is separated, cleaned, and made into sustainable textiles.

The shoes are sold for KSh 5,600 for wholesale prices, while retail prices are set at KSh 6,900.

Since its establishment, Pine Kazi has won several honours and recognitions, most notably the 2021 Fashionomics Africa contest winner, as reported by the African Development Bank.

They were also named regional winners of the 2019 Amman Prize and the Hult Prize winner at the Nairobi Summit in 2023.

Despite achieving great success as a brand, Pine Kazi admits that creating a profitable company involves many ups and downs.

“There are a lot of challenges, especially when starting out. You require a lot of discipline, practice, planning and perseverance. As an entrepreneur, you need to be aggressive because, in this world, you don’t get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate for," Olivia explained.

Pine Kazi cash prize

In 2021, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Parsons School of Design, and United Nations Environment Programme awarded the Kenyan brand a $2,000 (KSh 260,640) cash prize and networking and mentoring opportunities.

They were also given access to online events to exchange ideas on the major sustainability concerns confronting the business, and they got access to a network of industry experts and media insiders.

The company's long-term goal is to become a global brand that employs young people in Kenya and all around the continent.

How gov't plans to convert Nairobi waste to power

In other news, President William Ruto promised to solve the Nairobi garbage menace by recycling waste.

Ruto said all waste in the city will be converted to electricity for Kenyans.

First Lady Rachel Ruto also pointed out that the government was determined to promote clean energy, especially in cooking, and converting plastic waste into products such as roofing tiles and fencing posts.

The president noted that the journey to clean Nairobi's rivers was on course to change the city's face.

Ruto established the Nairobi Rivers Commission to oversee the protection of water bodies within the city.

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Mike Langat, Olivia Okinyi and Angela Musyoka founded Pine Kazi after seeing a heap of pineapple waste.

Pine Kazi: Meet 3 Kenyans Who Make Shoes, Handbags From Pineapple Waste

Pine Kazi: Meet 3 Kenyans Who Make Shoes, Handbags From Pineapple Waste