Study Unit 5: Bast, Leaf, Seed Flashcards
Jute
Jute is also a bast fibre. It is widely used and a relatively low cost fibre. It is grown throughout tropical Asia, chiefly in Bangladesh, India and Thailand. The processing of jute is labour intensive, and as a result it is grown in developing countries where labour costs are low. In fabric form, it is often called burlap or Hessian. It is difficult to bleach jute to a pure white colour. Jute fabrics are naturally beige to brown in colour. Jute is a weak fabric with little elasticity and resiliency. It will deteriorate in moist conditions. Its chemical, thermal and biological properties are similar to those of cotton and flax.
Jute is used mainly for bagging and carpet backing. In the manufacture of furniture, jute is used as a base fabric before the actual surface fabrics are attached. It is also used as a base for manufacture of linoleum. Jute is now being replaced in many products by olefin fibres.
Ramie
Ramie, frequently called China grass, is also a bast fibre. It is a fairly unknown fibre in the West, but is now frequently seen in ready-to-wear garments as well as fabrics sold for home sewing. It has been cultivated in China, Taiwan, the Malaysian peninsular and the Philippine islands for hundreds of years. Curently, it is also grown in Brazil. Ramie fibres are long and very fine, with an almost silk-like appearance, but the fibres are stiff. Properties are similar to those of other cellulosic fibres. It is a very strong fibre (the strongest of natural fibres) and highly resistant to micro-organisms, insects and rotting. It is frequently blended with other fibres, such as cotton or rayon. The ramie gives strength and softness to the other fibres.
Hemp
Hemp is a bast fibre that is grown on every continent and in nearly every country. Properties are similar to those of cotton. It is also one of the strongest natural fibres, comparable with linen in tensile strength. Hemp was used mainly for rope, sacking and heavy-duty tarpaulins. But, hemp is becoming popular in the United States of America. Well-known designers such as Calvin Klein and Giorgio Armani have used hemp fabrics in their garment
collections. Research is currently being done to establish a hemp industry in Southern Africa using suitable varieties of the plant.
Sisal
Sisal is obtained from the leaves of the agavé plant. It is cultivated mainly in Mexico, but also in Africa, Java and parts of South America. Sisal is used for matting, ropes, cordage and carpeting.
Abaca
Abaca is a leaf fibre grown in the Philippines. It is used in the Philippines for clothing, but is exported mostly in the form of place mats or other decorative items. Sometimes it is also used to make rope and cordage.
Pina
Pina fibre is made from the leaves of the pineapple plant and produced in the Philippines. Fabrics can be anything from the crisp to very soft. These are used for clothing and accessories. You will learn more about this fibre in study unit 13.
Coir
Coir is the fibre obtained from the coconut. It is used for outdoor carpets and mats.
Kapok
Kapok is a seed fibre obtained from the Java kapok tree. This fibre is difficult to spin, so it is used mainly for padding and stuffing, for example in life jackets. Kapok fibre has mostly been replaced by polyester fibre filling, foam, rubber or polyurethane foam.
