Yale Alum Jinali Mody Turns Banana Waste Into UNEP-Winning Eco-Leather

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India-West News Desk

NEW YORK, NY – Jinali Mody, Founder and CEO of Banofi Leather, has been named a 2025 Young Champion of the Earth by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Planet A for her work pioneering a plant-based leather alternative made from banana stems.

The award, announced on September 23, provides crucial funding, mentorship, and global recognition to help scale her impactful environmental solution.

Mody’s innovation tackles two critical global environmental issues: the pollution from conventional materials like leather and plastics, and the significant waste generated by banana farming. Globally, over 100 million tons of the banana plant’s stem, which must be cut down after fruiting for a new plant to grow, is discarded annually. This agricultural waste often decomposes in fields, releasing methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

By tapping into this rich cellulosic waste, Mody is creating materials that she says are designed to “heal the planet.” The process at the Banofi factory in Kolkata transforms the discarded stems into Banofi Leather, which boasts the look and feel of traditional leather but eliminates the high water usage and chemical pollution of conventional tanning.

“We want to reimagine the materials of the future by using bio-based, plant-based, natural ingredients,” Mody stated in an interview with UNEP, emphasizing that their materials are less resource-intensive and will ultimately biodegrade.

The UNEP recognition highlights the critical role of young innovators, including those with an American connection like Mody, in developing sustainable design paths to replace polluting materials across various industries worldwide. The award seeks to amplify bold ideas that significantly reduce carbon emissions compared to conventional processes.