BANANCO African Natural Fiber
Banana pseudostems and extracted fibre being processed in the yard of the Kenitra facility
Our solution

Nothing is discarded, everything is valorized.

The cascade

Six core verticals, one philosophy: zero waste.

BANANCO's integrated biorefinery transforms banana agricultural waste into a full spectrum of high-value industrial materials. Using our proprietary cascading extraction process — combining cold plasma technology, mechanical extraction, and biochemical conversion — we deliver sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based and wood-derived products across six core verticals. Every product in our portfolio is the result of a zero-waste philosophy: nothing is discarded, everything is valorized.

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Product 01

Banana Industrial Fibers

Our flagship product, BANANCO Industrial Banana Fibers are extracted from banana pseudostems using a proprietary mechanical extraction process enhanced by cold plasma treatment. This technology reduces chemical usage by 60% compared to conventional methods while achieving fiber properties comparable to sisal — one of the world's most valued natural fibers. Banana fibers offer exceptional tensile strength, lightweight characteristics, and natural biodegradability, making them an ideal sustainable alternative to synthetic fibers (glass fiber, polyester) and imported natural fibers (sisal, jute) in demanding industrial applications.

Bales of extracted banana fibre stacked at the BANANCO plant

Specifications

  • Fiber Length: 1.5 – 3.5 meters (continuous)
  • Tensile Strength: Comparable to sisal-grade (400-700 MPa)
  • Extraction Yield: >2% (wet weight basis)
  • Moisture Content: 8-12% (standard) / customizable
  • Treatment: Cold plasma enhanced (60% less chemical usage)
  • Packaging: 50kg bales, industrial rolls, or custom formats

Applications

🧵 Textile Industry

  • Sustainable fabric blending (cotton-banana, polyester-banana)
  • Technical textiles and industrial fabrics
  • Non-woven materials for filtration and insulation

🚗 Automotive Industry

  • Natural fiber reinforced composites (NFC) for interior panels
  • Door trims, dashboard components, trunk liners
  • Lightweight structural components (reduces vehicle weight by 15-20%)

🏗️ Construction Industry

  • Fiber-reinforced concrete and cement composites
  • Acoustic and thermal insulation panels
  • Geotextiles for soil stabilization

📦 Packaging Industry

  • Biodegradable packaging materials
  • Molded pulp products
  • Sustainable cushioning and protective materials

Why BANANCO

  • Sustainability: 100% biodegradable, zero-waste extraction process
  • Consistency: Cold plasma treatment ensures uniform fiber quality batch after batch
  • Cost-advantage: Sourced from agricultural waste, offering competitive pricing vs. imported sisal or synthetic alternatives
  • Traceability: Full supply chain transparency from farm to factory
  • Scalability: Current capacity of 200 tons/year, scaling to 2,000 tons/year by Year 3
Product 02

Nanocellulose

BANANCO's Nanocellulose is extracted from banana fibers through advanced ultrasonication and acid hydrolysis techniques, achieving purity levels exceeding 95%. This high-value bio-nanomaterial (market price: $50-100/kg) represents the frontier of sustainable materials science. Nanocellulose offers extraordinary mechanical properties at the nanoscale — it is 8 times stronger than steel at equivalent weight, highly transparent, and fully biodegradable. BANANCO's banana-derived nanocellulose provides a renewable, plant-based alternative to petroleum-derived nanomaterials, opening new possibilities across biomedical, electronics, coatings, and advanced packaging sectors.

Nanocellulose gel and freeze-dried powder in petri dishes

Specifications

  • Type: Cellulose Nanofibers (CNF) / Cellulose Nanocrystals (CNC)
  • Purity: >95%
  • Source: Banana pseudostem fibers (agricultural waste)
  • Dimensions: 5-20 nm diameter, 100-500 nm length
  • Surface Chemistry: Hydroxyl-rich (customizable surface modification)
  • Form: Aqueous suspension (1-5% concentration) or freeze-dried powder

Applications

🏥 Biomedical

  • Wound dressings and tissue engineering scaffolds
  • Drug delivery systems
  • Biocompatible hydrogels

🎨 Coatings & Paints

  • Rheology modifiers and thickeners
  • Barrier coatings for food packaging
  • Anti-corrosion protective layers

📱 Electronics & Optics

  • Flexible display substrates
  • Transparent conductive films
  • Dielectric materials

🔬 Advanced Composites

  • Nano-reinforcement for polymers and resins
  • Lightweight structural materials
  • High-performance filtration membranes

Why BANANCO

  • Premium purity: >95% purity through proprietary extraction protocol
  • Renewable source: Derived from agricultural waste, not deforestation
  • Competitive pricing: Significant cost advantage vs. wood-derived nanocellulose
  • Customizable: Surface chemistry tailored to client specifications
  • R&D support: Dedicated laboratory for client-specific applications
Product 03

Bioethanol

BANANCO Bioethanol is produced through the fermentation of residual sugars and cellulosic material extracted during our fiber and nanocellulose production processes. This cascading biorefinery approach ensures that no biomass goes to waste — every molecule is valorized. Our bioethanol serves as a clean, renewable alternative to fossil fuels, reducing carbon emissions in transportation, industrial heating, and chemical manufacturing. By converting agricultural waste into fuel, BANANCO contributes directly to energy independence and climate resilience.

Illustration of bioethanol being dispensed above a field

Specifications

  • Type: Second-generation (2G) cellulosic bioethanol
  • Purity: >99.5% (fuel grade) / customizable for industrial use
  • Source: Banana pseudostem residual sugars and cellulose
  • Production Method: Enzymatic hydrolysis + fermentation
  • Carbon Intensity: 70-85% lower than fossil gasoline
  • Target Capacity: 100,000 liters/year by Year 3

Applications

⛽ Transportation Fuel

  • E10/E85 gasoline blending
  • Fleet fuel for logistics and agricultural vehicles
  • Aviation biofuel feedstock (SAF pathway)

🏭 Industrial Applications

  • Industrial solvent and cleaning agent
  • Chemical feedstock (ethylene, acetic acid production)
  • Pharmaceutical and cosmetic grade ethanol

⚡ Energy

  • Industrial heating and power generation
  • Fuel cell applications
  • Off-grid renewable energy systems

Why BANANCO

  • Second-generation: No food crop competition (non-edible biomass)
  • Zero-waste integrated: Produced from extraction byproducts
  • Carbon negative potential: Avoids both methane from decomposition and fossil fuel emissions
  • Scalable: Modular fermentation units adaptable to regional biomass availability
BANANCO compostable bags, film and packaging displayed beside a banana plant

Finished compostable products

Product 04

Bioplastics

BANANCO's Bioplastics division transforms banana cellulose and starch into biodegradable plastic alternatives and bio-composite materials. In an era of increasing regulatory pressure on single-use plastics (EU Single-Use Plastics Directive, Morocco's plastic ban), our bio-based materials offer manufacturers a compliant, high-performance pathway to sustainability. Our bio-composites combine banana fibers with bio-based polymer matrices to create materials that match the mechanical properties of conventional plastics while being fully biodegradable and compostable.

Banaplast compostable bags and bioplastic pellets, carrying TUV compostability marks

Specifications

  • Base Materials: Banana cellulose, starch, PLA blends
  • Degradation: Industrial compostable (EN 13432) / Home compostable
  • Mechanical Properties: Comparable to PP/PE in targeted applications
  • Processing: Injection molding, extrusion, thermoforming compatible
  • Shelf Life: 12-24 months (dry storage)

Applications

🛍️ Packaging

  • Shopping bags and retail packaging
  • Food containers and trays
  • Agricultural mulch films

🏠 Consumer Products

  • Disposable cutlery and tableware
  • Personal care product packaging
  • Agricultural pots and seedling trays

🔧 Industrial

  • Automotive interior components
  • Electronic device housings
  • Construction film and membrane

Why BANANCO

  • Regulatory compliant: Meets EU and Moroccan plastic reduction mandates
  • Performance: Mechanical properties matching conventional plastics
  • Brand value: Enhances client sustainability credentials
  • End-of-life: Fully compostable, no microplastic pollution
Banana fibre, handmade paper sheets, bio-composite tiles and cellulose powder

The material range — fibre, pulp, bio-composite panels and cellulose

Product 05

Paper Pulp

Through our partnership with GIZ and sequa under the BMZ “Invest for Jobs” initiative, BANANCO has deployed specialized paper-making equipment including industrial hydro-pulpers, beater machines, and calendaring systems to produce high-quality banana paper pulp. Banana paper offers a tree-free alternative to virgin wood pulp, directly reducing deforestation pressure while providing exceptional print quality, durability, and a unique natural texture prized by premium packaging, art, and specialty printing markets.

A 25 kg FibreEgg sack of BANANCO tree-free banana paper pulp for egg carton manufacture

Specifications

  • Fiber Source: 100% banana pseudostem (tree-free)
  • Pulp Type: Mechanical / Semi-chemical (customizable)
  • Brightness: 75-85% ISO (natural) / 90%+ (bleached, chlorine-free)
  • Tensile Index: 45-65 Nm/g
  • Burst Index: 3.5-5.0 kPa·m²/g
  • Form: Wet lap sheets or dry bales
  • Target Capacity: 500 tons/year by Year 3

Applications

📄 Specialty Paper

  • Premium stationery and art paper
  • Handmade and artisan paper products
  • Currency and security paper substrate

📦 Packaging

  • Luxury packaging and gift boxes
  • Food-safe wrapping paper
  • Sustainable shopping bags

🏗️ Industrial

  • Corrugated board liner
  • Molded pulp packaging (egg cartons, protective inserts)
  • Wallpaper and decorative surfaces

Why BANANCO

  • Tree-free: Zero deforestation impact
  • GIZ-validated: Equipment and process validated under BMZ standards
  • Unique texture: Natural fiber pattern prized by premium markets
  • Fast-renewable: Banana plants regenerate in 9-12 months vs. 20-50 years for trees
  • Chlorine-free: ECF/TCF bleaching processes available
Next step

Tell us which material you need.

Grade, volume, the standard you are being held to and your delivery window — send what you have and our team will come back with specifications and next steps.

Contact our team See the impact