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Tikapur, known across Nepal for its bananas and banana-based dishes, is now producing cloth from discarded banana husks. Bananas from the region are supplied to cities including Nepalgunj, Dhangadhi, Mahendranagar, Surkhet, Butwal, and Kathmandu.

For the past 15 years, agrotourism entrepreneur Kalu Hamal, popularly called the ‘Banana King’, has been serving more than 42 banana-based dishes in Tikapur. Alongside, women in the area are turning waste from the 875 hectares of banana farms in Kailali into fiber and fabric.

Members of the Dhansinghpur Ekta Samaj Savings and Loan Cooperative in Batanpur, Tikapur-8, have been trained to extract fiber from banana husks for the past two years. “We use banana fibers to make hats, bags, pen holders, clothes, and mats,” said local resident Kamala Saud. “The cooperative sells us the fiber and helps market the products we make.”

Currently, five women from the cooperative produce banana-fiber handicrafts, while nine weave fabric. Shakuntala Chaudhary of Tikapur-7 said they blend banana fiber with cotton yarn to make cloth on looms. “We received a 50 percent subsidy on looms, and the cooperative facilitates sales,” she said. “Banana fabric from here is even reaching Kathmandu.”

Cooperative manager Ramkrishna Chaudhary explained that 10 banana stems yield one kilogram of fiber, enough to make up to 15 hats. Handicrafts sell for Rs 50 to 1,000, while banana fabric is priced at Rs 300–350 per meter. Farmers, who previously struggled with waste management, now provide stems free of cost. “The women earn directly from their products, while farmers find it easier to manage stalks,” he said.

Ward Chairperson Dirgha Bahadur Thakulla highlighted how the initiative has created self-employment. “This has supported both farm management and women’s income generation,” he said.

Experts also see broader benefits. Ritambhar Ghimire, Associate Professor of Horticulture at Tikapur’s School of Agriculture, said, “Banana is called Kalpavriksha, a multipurpose plant. Producing fiber from stalks not only eases post-harvest management but also contributes to environmental protection. The machine residue can be used as organic fertilizer, and banana fiber is emerging as an alternative to cotton.”

The movement has already reached Kathmandu. Divya Tara Tuladhar, who has been making banana-stalk fabric for 15 years and serves as Vice-president of the Nepal Handicraft Federation, operates Annapurna Handicraft in the capital. She trains producers across the Tarai, purchases fiber from Tikapur, and exports banana products to Germany, the US, and Australia. “The demand for natural fiber clothing is growing abroad,” she said, adding that banana-fiber garments also have health benefits.