Entrepreneur Hafizul Islam said he began making banana fibre products in 2016 after seeing the process used in India.

"If India can make products with banana fibre, then why can't we unemployed people in Bangladesh, or why can't I?" he said. The growing industry is providing income for farmers who sell stems previously discarded after harvest, as well as workers who process and weave the fibre.

Weaver Fazila Khatun said her earnings had helped pay for her son's education , while worker Arzina Begum said the industry had created opportunities for people overlooked by the garment sector.

Banana fibre is now being used to produce items ranging from saris and footwear to home decor and biodegradable packaging.

Bananas account for around 20 per cent of Bangladesh's fruit crops, generating an estimated 3.78 million tonnes of banana pseudo-stem biomass annually, according to reports.

“This initiative is about more than just swapping clothes,” Gomez told Viory. “We have the Atacama Desert clothed, not in bloom. This is a call to action against textile waste, which pollutes our environment . Through exchange, repair, and transformation, we’re creating new ways to connect, physically and emotionally,” she added.

Gomez referred to the alarming situation in the Atacama Desert, where an estimated 30,000 tonnes of discarded clothing and textile waste accumulate, a byproduct of the global fast fashion industry.

Guinness World Records adjudicator Natalia Ramirez praised the initiative, describing it as having “an extremely important social impact.”

“The organisers highlighted the issue of overconsumption and promoted circular fashion to extend the life of garments, an idea that resonates globally, not just in Chile,” Ramirez noted.

According to government data, Chileans consume an average of 32 kilograms of textiles per person annually, contributing to more than 572,000 tonnes of textile waste each year.