Given the recent scare about South African menstrual health products containing hormone-disrupting chemicals, the washable hygiene products producer Leafline offers a toxin-free, reusable, and biodegradable product made from a pineapple leaf. Based in Bathurst in the Eastern Cape, the home of the big pineapple, the company now wants to take its products global.
Leafline makes all of its products with cayenne pineapple leaves, which, when milled, produce a fibre stronger than cotton.
Leafline founder Candy Androliakos says the idea for the reusable sanitary products came to life while working with local women at a care centre.
“One of the older ladies asked me to make her a more affordable option for adult nappies.
“Despite having never sewn, I decided to try. That random request turned into the founding of Leafline in 2018.
“Our quest led us to discover the remarkable potential of pineapple leaf fibres, a byproduct of pineapple harvesting.
“This sustainable material is transformed into a highly absorbent, soft, breathable, and durable fabric, perfect for our high-quality, washable, and reusable sanitary and incontinence wear.
“We’re proud to be accredited with the Proudly South African mark, reinforcing our commitment to local production, job creation, and contributing to the South African economy,” says Androliakos.
Leafline employs four permanent staff members and three part-time workers who are elderly and living with disabilities.
The company participated in the Department of Trade and Industry and Competition’s (DTIC) five-month Global Export Passport Programme (GEPP) in February 2026, which sparked the idea to go global.
In the Eastern Cape, the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) implements the programme in partnership with 15 companies from the province.
As part of the programme, participants were required to present their individual export marketing strategies, and Leafline ranked among the top three.
