'Fiber crops' are field crops grown for their
fibers, which are used to make
paper,
cloth, or
rope. These crops are generally harvestable after a single growing season, as opposed to
trees which are typically grown for many years before being harvested for
wood pulp fiber. In specific circumstances, fiber crops can be superior to wood pulp fiber in terms of technical performance,
environmental impact or cost.
Botanically, the fibers havested from many of these plants are ''
bast'' fibers; the fibers come from the
phloem tissue of the plant. The other fiber crop fibers are
seed padding,
leaf fiber, or other parts of the plant.
Fiber crops include:
★
Bast fibers (Stem-skin fibres)
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★
Jute (widely used, cheapest fibre after cotton)
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★
Flax (which produces
linen)
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★
Ramie
★
★
Hemp
★
★
Kenaf
★
★
Abacá
★
★
Nettles
★ Other fibers (Leaf, fruit, and other fibers)
★
★
Cotton
★
★
Bamboo
★
★
Esparto
★
★
Papaya
★
★
Umbrella_Plant
★
★
Coir (fiber from the
coconut shell)
★
★
Sisal (Often termed
agave)
External links
★
Living Tree Paper Company FAQ
★
Information about fiber crop properties