Certificates
Check out our banana fiber 777004 here.
Banana fiber. It is the textile world’s new rockstar and so far only few companies (especially in the formal clothing sector) in the world using it due to bit high price as compare to synthetic fibers or other sustainable fibers. However compare to little extra cost, benefits of using this fiber is so vast. Well, that is especially if you are talking about sustainable textiles.
What is Banana Fiber?
Banana Fiber (also known as SISAL) is made from the leaves of the banana plant. It is said to be one of the most sustainable fibers on our planet, and is also biodegradable – meaning it can break down in landfills without any ill effects on the environment. These two qualities make it a great candidate for eco-friendly clothing and other products.
Banana Fiber Structure
Banana fibers are long, strong and very flexible – making it a desirable material to use in many products. It is about 15x as strong as cotton and 10x as durable as linen. These properties make banana fiber a great choice for clothing because they will last a lot longer than clothing made from traditional materials!
The structure of bast fibers, such as banana, is complex. They are usually made up of lignocellulosic material and have helically wound cellulose microfibrils in an amorphous matrix of lignin and hemicellulose. The cellulose content plays a significant role in the mechanical properties, as well.
Properties of Banana Fibers: These are some of the properties of banana fibers:
Heat Resistance
Banana fibers are hollow tubular cells with lignin as their main component. They are strong because of lignin, which is a natural polymer that lends rigidity to cell walls. These cells have the ability to stand up well against heat. Banana stem fiber can be processed by spinning and twisting similar to jute, for use in high temperature insulation products.
Chemical Resistance
Banana plant cells are covered with a thick wax coating that protects the cell from pests and diseases and allows for smooth fruit peel. While this coating can be beneficial to humans as well, it does not allow for penetration of chemicals into banana stem fibers, making them very resistant to chemicals including acids and bases.
Water Absorbency
In comparison to other plant fibers such as jute, flax, kenaf, sisal hemp and pineapple leaf fibers, banana stems are highly absorbent. High water absorption is advantageous in fabric making because it reduces the binding time of chemicals used to break down the plant fibers into smaller components. Banana fibers absorb and release the absorbed water quite easily.
Flexibility and Elasticity
Banana stem fiber is both flexible and elastic.
Biodegradability
Banana stem fiber is fast becoming an attractive option in the world of bioplastics because it takes only four weeks to decompose, as compared to the several years required by synthetic fiber.
High resistance
Banana fibers also have a high resistance to ultraviolet light.
Why is Banana Fiber Sustainable?
One reason that banana fiber is sustainable is because bananas are one of the most efficient crops to grow – they require few pesticides, use little water, and have a high nutrient uptake.
Banana Fiber and Clothing – Benefits
This is possibly one of the hottest new trends for textiles. Clothes made out of banana fiber pulp are incredibly soft and comfortable to wear, even compared to clothing made from cotton. It is about 15x as strong as cotton and 10x as durable as linen. They also have great moisture wicking properties which make it idle for summer clothing.
Banana fiber is also very durable, which makes it a great material for creating all types of items from packaging to paper to fabrics or even rugs.