JINALI MODY - ENTREPRENEUR

In September 2025, UN Environment Programme announced Mumbai-based Jinali Mody, founder of material-science startup Banofi Leather, as a Young Champion of the Earth.

- Dakshiani Palicha

"SHIFT TO SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS IS INEVITABLE”

Launched three years ago, Banofi Leather uses banana waste to produce vegan leather and has partnered with major fashion brands. In an interview with Dakshiani Palicha, Mody discusses the fashion industry's growing shift towards sustainability:

How did the idea for Banofi Leather come about?

Banofi was born out of my passion for materials and my interest in the fashion industry. Most alternatives to leather today are marketed as vegan but are largely made from plastic or petrochemical byproducts. We decided to redesign the material and banana waste emerged as a high-quality feedstock.