A Fair Trade partnership that values people, materials and time.

After harvesting the fruit, banana plants have to be cut back so that they regrow for the next season and usually this means that these large plants are disposed of as waste. An estimated billion tons of banana plant stalks are discarded per year, causing a huge agricultural waste problem. But in the lowland farming regions of Nepal that story is being rewritten.  

Here, farmers are able to sell their banana fibre for use in the textile industry, creating additional income and reducing their waste problem. The soft inner layers of the plant are crushed and pulped, in a process similar to making hemp cloth. From this, long workable fibres are extracted, which are dried and spun into yarn.

Banana fibre is naturally strong. Our scarves have a slightly rustic texture and a loose weave. With wear and washing they soften beautifully, developing a gentle drape and a subtle sheen. 

 Aura Que have worked with Deepchand Shakya since 2009, a longstanding fair trade partnership built on respect and trust. It is at his workshop in Bhaktapur, Nepal where the banana yarn scarves are made. Once spun, the yarn is handwoven on traditional looms by women from the surrounding socially and economically deprived communities, who have received in house training and are now highly skilled. Importantly, the factory is near to their homes and enables them to work flexibly around their family commitments.

This way of working creates more than just a scarf. It supports livelihoods, sustains skills passed down through generations and keeps traditional techniques relevant in a modern context. 

The use of banana fibre shows just how important it is to fair trade companies to embody environmental principles in their work. Whilst creating the fibre from banana plants is labour intensive it is such an important reuse of waste that it is worth the extra effort. It is a simple idea with meaningful impact, valuing what is already there rather than demanding more from the land. 

The extra income for Nepali farmers who are struggling with poor returns on their crops as well as the challenges of climate change is a real additional fair trade benefit. 

For us here in Harrogate, Aura Que banana yarn scarves offer something simple and quietly distinctive. They are light enough to layer as winter softens into spring, practical for everyday wear, and designed to last a long time. They remind us that good design does not have to be complicated. Sometimes it begins by choosing to value people as much as the things they make.

Pop in to see Aura Que banana yarn scarves and choose a handmade piece that reflects fairness and thoughtful design.

Visit our shop

Harrogate Fair Trade Shop

St. Peter’s Church Porch, Cambridge St, Harrogate, HG1 1RW

Not charity. Ethical partnership. That’s Fair Trade.

All images supplied by Aura Que.