Natural fibers are fibers that are obtained from natural sources and are categorized into two types: plant-based and animal-based. Plant-based fibers are derived from different parts of plants, such as the stem, leaf, seeds, or fruit. Cellulose is a substance that makes up most plant’s cell walls and is the basis of all natural and human-made cellulosic textile fibers. Some processes to separate this substance are natural (harvesting and cleaning), while others require the use of chemicals for plants like bamboo. Animal-based fibers are obtained from animals through shearing, combing, or collecting. Natural fibers promote environmental preservation and sustainability in a variety of industries. They reduce the carbon footprint associated with textile production and waste while being known for their durability and biodegradable nature, making them essential to our society.
Plant-based fibers can be categorized as bast fibers, leaf fibers, seed fibers, and fibers that come from other types of plants or trees, such as bamboo.
Bast fibers are soft woody fibers collected from the phloem (inner bark) or bast surrounding the stem of certain flowering plants (dicotyledonous plants). Bast fibers are typically characterized by fineness and flexibility and are known as “soft,” distinguishing them from the rigid, less flexible, or “hard” leaf fibers. Most bast fibers are used in manufacturing ropes, twines, bagging materials, and heavy-duty industrial fabrics. The types of bast fibers are hemp, jute, flax, kenaf, roselle, and ramie.
Hemp, which is more resilient and longer lasting than cotton, can be used for bioplastics, paper, and as an alternative for insulation in buildings. Hemp can also be used in food and drinks while being a source of protein and magnesium. China is responsible for more than 50% of the global hemp production and holds over half of the 600 international patents on hemp fiber and textile production.
Jute is a long, rough, shiny fiber that can be spun into strong threads, which is associated with the material burlap. This plant is native to India and is used for bags, curtains, sweaters, rugs, carpet, upholstery, cardigans, and more. The advantages of jute are breathability, versatility, anti-static, and being easily blended with synthetic fibers.
Flax has been around for thousands of years and is economically significant in many countries, some of which are Canada, China, and Russia. Flax seeds are used for food, food supplements, oil, soaps, cosmetics, and hair gels. As far as fabric material goes, flax is commonly made into linen, which can be made into textiles, bed sheets, and apparel. For example, it is blended with cotton to produce blue jeans.
Kenaf is native to Africa and is usually used as a cordage crop and, secondarily, as a livestock feed. It is also used for sackcloth, absorbents, paper products, antioxidants, and building materials.
Roselle is native to Africa but is found in the Caribbean and Asia. It can be used as a laxative, as a treatment for cardiac issues and nerve diseases, in beverages, jellies, sauces, liquors, and wines, and as a source for food dyes.
Ramie is considered stronger than linen and is one of the strongest natural fibers that is just as efficient when wet. Ramie is native to China and is also produced in Japan, Taiwan, and Brazil. It’s resistant to shrinkage, holds its shape well, and has a high resistance to stains. Ramie has a fine texture like silk and is usually blended with cotton or viscose. It is used for fishing nets, filter cloths, packing materials, and industrial sewing threads, and its leaves are used in rice cakes and dumplings.
Leaf fibers are typically “hard” or stiff leaves that are thick and long (usually grasses, lilies, orchids, and palms). Examples of leaf fibers are sisal, abaca, henequen, and cantala. Leaf fibers are generally used for rope or woven fabrics.
Sisal is an Agave type plant and is the most important leaf fiber regarding commercial use and quality. This plant can be found in North and South America, Africa, and Asia. Sisal can be used as twine, cloth, footwear, hats, bags, carpets, geotextiles, and dartboards. It can also be used as fiber reinforcement for composite fiberglass, rubber, and concrete products.
Abaca is closely related to and resembles the banana plant. The lignin content in this plant is about 15% and is valued for its resistance to salt water and great strength. It is also the second-most important among the leaf fiber group. It is used in tea and coffee bags, vacuum bags, cigarette filter papers, medical food preparation and disposal papers, and high-quality writing paper.
Seed fibers develop in the seedpod of a plant and need to be separated while harvesting. Examples of these types of fibers are cotton, coir, kapok, and milkweed.
Cotton is a seed fiber that is the most popular among all the plant-based fibers. Cotton cloth has been stable for many different countries, like Egypt, China, India, Mexico, and Peru. In the United States, textile mills consume about 7.6 million bales of cotton a year. About 57% of these bales are converted into apparel, and the remainder into home furnishings or industrial products. Cotton is used for every type of clothing, like shirts, underwear, pants, jackets, socks, and lingerie. Regarding home furnishings, that includes bedspreads, window shades, towels, washcloths, and pillowcases. Lastly, for industrial uses, this includes medical supplies, industrial thread and tarpaulins, book bindings, and zipper tapes.
Coir comes from the seeds of a coconut palm. The processing of coir fiber uses about 25-30% of the total husk, while the remaining waste can be used as fertilizer and mulch. This shows how it is valued as a renewable natural resource, and the textiles made from coir are biodegradable. Asia is the main continent that exports coir, and its uses consist of floor coverings, door mats, mattress filling, brushes, insulation panels, and packaging.
Kapok comes from the seed of the Ceiba, or “silk cotton” tree, which opens when ripe and is cultivated in Asia. The fine, silky fibers are water-repellent and buoyant. These traits are why Kapok is used in products like life jackets and buoys. It is also in products like stuffing for upholstery and bedding (pillows and mattresses), acoustic and thermal insulation, and absorbent cotton for surgeries.
Milkweed is a smooth fiber resembling kapok obtained from the large seedpods of milkweed plants (Asclepias). Milkweed is native to North America and produces a soft, lightweight fuzz called silk, or floss. Its silky, lightweight traits are used to make clothing as well as upholstery padding. Due to its buoyant trait, it is used as a substitute for kapok.
Bamboo comes from the treelike grass family Poaceae, it grows in both tropical and temperate environments and is native to Asia. Bamboo produces more oxygen than trees, requires no irrigation, and rarely needs replanting, which exemplifies why it is such a renewable resource. Bamboo is used for housing, medicines for diseases, clothing, Asian foods, scaffolding, paper, tableware, and fishing rods.
Animal fibers are complex protein-based materials that most of the animal body is made of. This consists of hair or fur from animals and is used for textile production for products like clothing, carpets, and upholstery. Animal fibers share similar traits such as warmth, moisture-wicking, elasticity, dyeability, and durability. Common animal-based fibers are silk, wool, alpaca, mohair, cashmere, camel hair, llama, angora, yak, qiviut, and vicuña.
Wool is an animal fiber that sheep produce. It has a protein called keratin, which is the same protein found in human hair. Merino wool, which is much finer than human hair and is used for luxurious apparel, comes from Merino sheep. Merino sheep in Australia produce 90% of the world’s fine apparel wool. Wool is manufactured in two ways: the worsted system and the woolen system. Wool can be used to make different types of clothing, such as base layers, underwear, socks, sportswear, sweaters, and many other textiles. There are many different types of wool, such as alpaca, llama, vicuña, qiviut, camels, cashmere, angora, mohair, and yak.
Silk is harvested from silkworm larvae cocoons and is a lustrous and strong fiber. Silk may be the strongest textile in the world. This fiber has been sought after for many years and has created trade routes that have transformed cultures and societies. The cultivation origin of silk is China, but it has spread throughout Asia and the rest of the world. It is primarily used in the textile industry to create luxury clothing, home furnishings, parachutes, and even surgical sutures.
Natural fibers are obtained from natural sources, being plants or animal. Plant-based fibers can be categorized as bast fibers, leaf fibers, seed fibers, and fibers that come from other types of plants or trees such as bamboo. Animal fibers are complex protein-based material that most of the animal body is made of and comes from the hair or fur of animals. Natural fibers provide essential benefits for industrial trade and environmental sustainability.
