Israel- based company Nova Milan launches its first Innovation Center in Alajuela, Costa Rica, as part of a wider initiative to make plant leather, sustainable textiles, and bioplastics from organic plant waste.

The project's objective is to assist Costa Rica in dealing with plant-based waste such as bananas, pineapple, coconuts, and yuca by repurposing agricultural waste to create these commodities.

Irma Orenstein and Karim Quazzani, the company's founders, invented a technique that turns agricultural waste into valuable items, including one of the world's few almost petroleum-free vegan leather.

The Israeli Ambassador to Costa Rica, Oren Bar-El, congratulated Nova Milan on the Center's inauguration. Bar-El added that they’re extremely happy to unite efforts based on Israeli innovation and technology with Costa Rica's environmental commitment, under Israel's leadership and women entrepreneurship, with women from the Caribbean region.

The Chairman of Procomer, a government organization in charge of promoting Costa Rica's goods and services, Pedro Beirute, expressed his enthusiasm for Nova Milan's operations in his nation.

Beirute said that they’re excited to welcome Nova Milan to their country. Nova Milan is a forward-thinking firm that is assisting Costa Rica in establishing a global reputation as a sustainable green country that does business with purpose and conscience. This is a watershed moment not only for Costa Rica but for mankind as a whole.