Philippines: Ancient Fabrics Weave Hope for the Poor

By The Manila Times

NATURAL fibers ease the pain of poverty.

In many developing countries, proceeds from the sale and export of natural fibers contribute significantly to the income and the food security of poor farmers and those working in fiber processing and marketing.

Worldwide, some 30 million tons of natural fibers are produced annually. But they have lost market share to synthetic fibers.

The International Year of Natural Fibers raises the profile of these fibers and emphasizes their value to consumers while helping to sustain farmers’ income.

Plant fibers

Abaca, once a favored source of rope, is known as Manila hemp. It shows promise as an energy-saving replacement for glass fibers in automobiles and is now pulped and processed into tea bags, casing for sausages, banknotes, cigarette papers and high-quality writing paper.

Coir, a coarse, short fiber extracted from the outer shell of coconuts, is found in ropes, mattresses, brushes, geotextiles and automobile seats.

Globally, around 500,000 tons of coir is produced every year, mainly in India and Sri Lanka. The value of coir production has been put at around US$100 million annually. India and Sri Lanka are the main exporters of coir, followed by Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia.

Cotton, which is pure cellulose, is the world’s most widely used natural fiber and still the undisputed “king” of the global textiles industry. Around 25 million tons of cotton is produced worldwide each year, a volume four times greater than all other natural fibers combined.

China, the United States, India, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Brazil are the main producers.

Flax is much stronger than cotton and used in clothing, bed and bath fabrics and household furnishings. It is grown in more than 30 countries led by China, the Russian Federation, Belarus and France. Almost one million tons are produced each year, with the finest linen produced in Belgium, Ireland and Italy.

Hemp is a nondrug relative of marijuana. Its recent “cottonization” could open the door to the high quality clothing market. A clothing, cordage and paper material, hemp is increasingly used in construction and as bioplastics in automobile panels.

Almost half of the world’s industrial hemp is grown in China, followed by Chile, France, North Korea and Spain.

Jute, the strong threads made from jute fiber, is used worldwide in sackcloth—and helps sustain the livelihoods of millions of small farmers. One of nature’s strongest vegetable fibers, it is second only to cotton in terms of production quantity and range of uses.

Sackcloth makes up the bulk of manufactured jute products but it is now made into floor coverings, jute composites, geotextiles, nonwovens, paper pulp, technical textiles, chemical products, apparel, handicrafts and fashion accessories.

India produces 60 percent of the world’s jute, with Bangladesh accounting for most of the rest.

Ramie—white, with a silky luster—is one of the strongest natural fibers, similar to flax in absorbency and density. Usually blended with cotton and wool, it increases the luster and strength of cotton fabric, and reduces shrinkage in wool blends. Almost all ramie is grown in China.

Sisal, too coarse for clothing and upholstery, is replacing asbestos and fiberglass in many composite materials and is found in specialty paper, filters, geotextiles, mattresses, carpets and wall coverings. The major producers are Brazil, Tanzania and Kenya.

Animal fibers

Alpacas are one of the world’s most diverse fiber-producing animals, with two distinct types of hair and a wide range of natural colors used to make high-end luxury fabrics.

The alpaca has a herd size of around three million, found mainly in the Andes but also on livestock farms throughout North America, Europe and Australia.

Angora, the silky white wool of the Angora rabbit, is very fine and soft, and used in high quality knitwear or blended with other natural fibers in woven cloth for apparel.

China is the leading producer of Angora rabbit wool, accounting for about 90 percent of global supply, followed by Argentina, Chile, Czech Republic, France and Hungary.

Camel hair is combined with fine wool in overcoats, topcoats and sportswear. The best is found on the two-humped Bactrian camels of Inner Mongolia and Mongolia, and baby camel hair is the finest and softest. White fleece is most valued but very rare.

Cashmere is from the very fine undercoat of the Kashmir goat and exceptionally soft to the touch owing to the structure of its fibers and has great insulation properties without being bulky.

With very limited supply, it is a luxury textile. China leads world production, displacing Europe, the US and Japan.

Mohair comes from the Angora goat of Turkey. The fiber is used in knitting yarn, and in fabric for stoles, scarves and durable upholstery. The best comes from South Africa.

Silk is the “queen of fabrics” while limited supply and exceptional characteristics have made wool the world’s premier textile fiber.

Source: http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/feb/01/yehey/top_stories/200902...