Vegetable Fibers

Abstract

Plant‐derived vegetable fibers are classified according to their source in plants as bast, leaf, and seed‐hair. The fibers in bast and leaf plants are integrated to the plant structure, providing strength and support. The main chemical component of vegetable fibers is cellulose, with varying amounts of lignin and hemicelluloses also usually present; thus these fibers are also referred to as cellulosic or lignocellulosic. The fibers are grown throughout the world. The principal bast fibers are flax, jute, and hemp, which are utilized primarily for fabrics (linen‐flax, hessian‐jute), bags, ropes, in newer biobased composites, and as a source of papermaking fibers. The primary leaf fibers are abaca and sisal, which have uses similar to bast fibers, except fabrics are not produced from the leaf fibers. Cotton, coir, and kapok are the main seed‐hair fibers, with cotton by far the most important commercial vegetable fiber. Bast fibers are obtained from the plant, after harvest, by retting. The leaf fibers are obtained by crushing and scraping, followed by washing. Vegetable fibers are generally graded according to color, luster, cleanliness, strength, fineness, and uniformity.In this article, general aspects on plant fiber structure, processing techniques, and fiber classification are introduced, together with some examples of the most utilized fibers. Fibers characteristics, their commercial applications, and recent developments in the use of these fibers are also discussed.