On December 12, Dole, a century-old global brand specializing in fruits and vegetables, stood out at the Shanghai Pudong Headquarters' Economic Ecological Construction and ESG theme event. The company received the "Excellent Case Award" for ESG of Chinese and Foreign Enterprises in Pudong New Area 2024 and the "Innovation Sample Award" at the Industrial Ecological Innovation Competition. Just six days later, on December 18, Dole was again honored with the "Excellent Case of Green Consumption" by the Beike Economy Channel of Beijing News, recognizing its exceptional contributions to green environmental protection and sustainable consumption.
Dole pioneered the "fruit to leather" project, remaking fruit waste into fashion, a green benchmark leading force
Promoting green, low-carbon development and achieving sustainability goals have become a global priority. ESG objectives are now central to corporate strategies worldwide.
Since entering the Chinese market in 1998, Dole has been rooted in Shanghai Pudong for 26 years, continuously innovating and advancing with the region. At the "Pudong New Area Headquarters Economy High-Quality Development Promotion Conference and the Tenth Top Ten Examples Release Event in Headquarters Economy," Dole's "Fruit to Leather" initiative earned the "Innovation Sample Award" in the ESG Industry Ecological Innovation Competition. This achievement underscores Dole's leadership in green and low-carbon practices alongside industry giants like Apple, DuPont, and Disney.
Food waste presents a significant global challenge, contributing to economic losses and greenhouse gas emissions. Fruits, in particular, have high turnover requirements, leading to waste from defective items with blemishes or poor appearance. To address this issue, Dole partnered with SynMetabio, a synthetic biology-based material R&D company, for intensive research and development over a year. Together, they achieved a breakthrough: defective fruits eliminated during processing are repurposed and combined with fungal mycelium as a nutrient source. Through cultivation and fermentation, the process produces high-quality mycelium that can be transformed into 100% bio-based, eco-friendly leather.
Dole's Shanghai facility generates approximately 900 tons of fruit waste annually, which can be converted into 50 million square meters of leather—enough to cover 7,000 standard football fields. These plant-based leathers can be fashioned into bags, sofas, and clothing at half the cost of traditional leather.
The "Fruit to Leather" project debuted at the 6th CIIE, where its innovative environmental concept attracted widespread attention from visitors and media alike.
Dole recreates "Banana Trunks to Clothes", building a circular ecological breakthrough, and waste trunks shine on the international stage
In alignment with China's dual-carbon strategy, Dole has actively explored green transformation practices to set benchmarks for sustainable development. At this year's Beijing News Zero Carbon Research Institute and Tsinghua University Business Administration Case Center green case selection, Dole's "Banana Trunks to Clothes" project was among 36 shortlisted cases. Ultimately, it was awarded the "2024 Excellent Case of Green Consumption" for its remarkable contributions to the fruit industry. Pudong New Area also recognized the project as a "2024 Excellent Case of ESG of Chinese and Foreign Enterprises," solidifying Dole's leadership role in the industry.
Dole's commitment to quality is epitomized by its "Dole Promise" to achieve zero fruit loss while sharing value with stakeholders.
To ensure Asian consumers enjoy premium bananas, Dole operates a 20,000-hectare banana farm in the Philippines, maintaining stringent quality controls across the supply chain. Annually, Dole sells 1.04 billion kilograms of bananas in Asia, including 300 million in China. Dole bananas have also held the top brand market share in Japan and South Korea for years.
Dole's banana farms in the Philippines
Bananas are an annual herb. Dole banana seedlings are grown in the laboratory by Dole R&D experts and then planted on a large scale on the farm. After harvesting, the banana trunks are typically discarded or landfilled, impacting the environment. At Dole's farms, around 200,000 tons of discarded banana trunks are generated annually. To address this, Dole developed a process to recycle banana trunks into fabric, reducing 260,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year, creating over 100 local jobs, and enhancing income levels. This initiative combines environmental stewardship with social impact. It not only makes corporate contributions to environmental protection but also gives banana trees new life.
"Banana Trunks to Clothes" Production Process
In 2019, Dole launched the "Banana Trunks to Clothes" project in New Zealand in collaboration with HOUSE OF MUSA, an internationally acclaimed design studio. Banana fibers, known for their strength and breathability, are processed into durable, eco-friendly fashion garments and accessories.
"Banana Trunks into Clothes" featuring in British Vogue and Thailand Fashion Week.
To mark Dole's 125th anniversary and the 50th anniversary of China-Malaysia diplomatic relations, Dole China led the creation of traditional Malaysian attire using eco-friendly MUSA fabrics derived from banana trunks. These garments, blending modern materials with intricate beading, such as silk, Songkit and other fabrics, debuted at the 7th CIIE in collaboration with the Malaysian National Pavilion to reflect Malaysia's rich cultural heritage and create a unique and sustainable fashion statement. Dole is also actively promoting cooperation with domestic companies to bring this project into the Chinese supply chain.
Dole has been green and sustainable for a century and remains steadfast in its mission to drive environmental protection and sustainable practices, setting industry benchmarks for a greener future.
Founded in 1851, Dole is a global leader in the fruit and vegetable industry with operations in over 90 countries. The brand's extensive experience spans fruit and vegetable cultivation, processing, and distribution. Since entering China in 1998, Dole has established modern processing and distribution centers in 11 cities, offering nearly 100 varieties of high-quality fruits and vegetables year-round.
