Pineapple leaf nappies and sanitary wear wins this innovative woman an award

Inners of Leafline products are made from a natural pineapple Leaf fibre called Pina Fibre making them environmentally friendly.

An entrepreneur from the Eastern Cape town of Port Alfred has just won first place in the SAB Foundation’s Disability Empowerment Awards.

Winner Candy Androliakos of Leafline Washable Sanitary Wear, ticks multiple boxes says Pippa Hudson.

She employs people living with disabilities and has created a range of washable sanitary wear that includes incontinence pants and mattress and cushion protectors which are ideal for those who are wheelchair users.

Leafline Washable Sanitary Wear also produces reusable nappies and sanitary pads - all made out of the fibres of pineapple leaves.

The owner of this environmentally friendly sanitary wear Candy Androliakos chats to Pippa about the range and her win.

All the inners of Leafline products are made from a natural pineapple Leaf fibre called Pina Fibre, which makes them environmentally friendly. The products are reusable making them cost-effective.

Candy says she was inspired by working as a beauty therapist in a retirement home.

While I was there, one of the old ladies was telling me how much money she spends on throw-away nappies.

Candy Androliakos, Owner- Leafline

She began making some for the woman and searched for something absorbant for the inner lining of the nappy.

Because I live in Bathurst, I was doing a tour of the Big Pineapple and there I saw one of the farmers had a billboard for the different types of uses for the fibre of the leaf of the pineapple.

Candy Androliakos, Owner- Leafline

She asked him to give her a supply of fibre which he did.

I was practicing for about a year to try and make a product out of the fibre and obviously, all the people who used my products were my guinea pigs so it was developed around them.

Candy Androliakos, Owner- Leafline

She has trained women with mental disabilities to make the products and the R1.3 million prize will help expand the premises in order to grow jobs for more women.

Listen to the interview with Candy Adroliakas in the audio below:

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