05/03/2026
In Okinawa, sugarcane farmers were struggling. Valuable byproducts — molasses, tea waste — were being discarded. And a single mother working from a modest lab during a pandemic saw something no one else was seeing.
Remi Ie founded Ananthya to turn that waste into Zen Leather®: a sustainable, vegan leather made from sugarcane molasses and tea waste — a high-performance, plant-based alternative to both traditional leather and plastic-based synthetics.
Today, Ananthya holds recognition from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and Ministry of the Environment, and is expanding proof-of-concept projects with international corporations across mobility, architecture, and apparel.
For Remi, WEConnect International provided more than market access for her business: “It has given us moral support, belonging, and resilience through a trusted network”
Read her full story: https://hubs.la/Q045Hl3D0