House of Musa partnered with Dole New Zealand to host the Eco Fashion Runway at the Elle Melville Centre this month. The event celebrated Filipino fashion with a sustainable twist, as the two companies transformed waste from the banana plant into unique fashion pieces.
H.E. Kira Azucena, the Philippines' Ambassador to New Zealand, was also present and recognised the fusion of creativity and sustainability.
For over 170 years, Dole has put the planet and its people at the heart of everything it does. Dole’s commitment to carbon neutrality and fruit loss reduction at its farms drove its long-term collaboration with the House of Musa.
House of Musa’s international reach covers several countries, including the US, Japan, Singapore, and New Zealand. It has also been featured in British Vogue, representing Filipino talent and culture worldwide.
Together, the companies empowered underrepresented groups by training them to extract fibres from banana plant pseudo-stems and weave them into Musa Fabric.
Kamilla Camilo, Senior Marketing Manager Dole New Zealand and principal sponsor of the event, remarked that by creating unique fashion pieces out of material woven from banana stem waste, House of Musa was making a significant contribution to the commitment to achieving zero fruit loss at Dole farms.
Beyond repurposing 4.4 million banana stems, they also collaborated with the Kasilak Foundation to provide opportunities for underprivileged groups in the Philippines, particularly empowering local women deprived of liberty from the Davao Penal Colony.
“The collections you saw today showcased Dole and House of Musa's dedication to celebrating diversity, empowering women, and promoting sustainability in the fashion industry,” said Camilo.
To celebrate Dole’s commitment to people and the planet, the company also organised a pop-up at Sylvia Park for four days, inviting shoppers to learn about its sustainability actions and collaboration with the House of Musa.
