Candy Androliakos was motivated by the elderly residents of an old-age home to produce an eco-friendly, quality and affordable product that wasn't going to end up in landfills or in waterways. Six years later, her sanitary pads, nappies and other products are being sold at markets, through agents countrywide and in a major retailer.

Listen to this article 8 min Listen to this article 8 min Most visitors to the Big Pineapple in Bathurst -- the largest pineapple building in the world -- would probably walk away with a craving for fresh pineapple juice and an appreciation of the tropical plant's cultivation. But for one person, the Eastern Cape tourist attraction sparked something else: a business idea that is life-changing for its customers.

Candy Androliakos, a local beautician who volunteered at a home for the elderly in Bathurst, had been looking for an affordable, quality and eco-friendly alternative to adult incontinence products because she had witnessed the financial strain that these disposable products were placing on its residents and the environment.

At the Big Pineapple, she came across a billboard describing the potential of pineapple fibre. One byproduct is a cotton-like fabric, which can be milled from the leaves of a cayenne pineapple.

It was discovered by a local farmer when he observed hornets nests created from pineapple leaf fibres that are stronger and more durable than cotton, with highly absorbent properties.

Cost-effective

Androliakos realised that this fibre could be used in developing a reusable, cost-effective product that was better for the environment. With...