Interior design

Natural Fabrics

• Animal fibres

• Alpaca Wool

• Angora Wool

• Camel hair

• Cashmere

• Mohair

• Silk

• Wool

Natural fibres are greatly elongated

substances produced by plants and

animals that can be spun into

filaments, thread or rope.

Plant fibres

• Abaca

• Coir

• Cotton

• Flax

• Hemp

• Ramie

• Sisal

Why natural fibres?

• A high-tech choice

• Fibres that give strength

and stability to plants are

being incorporated in an

ever widening range of

industrial products

• A fashionable choice

• Eco-conscious designers

offer “carbon neutral”

collections that strive for

sustainability at every stage

of their garments’ life cycle

A healthy choice

Most synthetic fibres

cannot match the "breathability" of

natural fibre textiles, which creates

natural ventilation

A responsible choice

By choosing natural

fibres, we can contribute to the

economies of developing countries

and help fight hunger and rural

poverty

A sustainable choice

Renewable and carbon

neutral, natural fibres leave residues

that can be used to generate

electricity. And they are 100%

biodegradable

Natural fibres

Alpaca

Soft and dense, or lustrous and silky,

alpaca is used to make high-end

luxury fabrics and outdoor sports

clothing

Huacayo alpacas produce

soft, dense, short fibres, while the

fleece of the rarer suri is lustrous, silky

and straight. Alpaca blends well with

wool, mohair and silk.

Uses of alpaca

For spinning yarns for

fashion applications.

The primary end use is

knitwear, but it is also woven into

cloth for clothing, accessories - such as

shawls and stoles - and rugs.

Natural fibres

Camel

The best quality camel yarn is

produced by nomadic households in

Mongolia (above) and Inner Mongolia,

China, where women spin the

collected hair on drop spindles. Other

significant producers are Afghanistan

and Iran.

Uses of camel hair

In Mongolia, camel hair is

used by nomadic herders to make

yurts , winter clothing and carpets.

Exported yarns are used

for production of a wide range of

garments - overcoats, suits, coats,

blazers, jackets and sweaters - and

winter accessories such as gloves, caps

and scarves.

Since it is a premium fibre, camel hair

is usually blended with wool to make it

more economical. Nylon is sometimes

used with virgin quality camel hair in

hosiery and other knitted products,

while camel/cashmere blends are

targeted at the luxury market.

Natural fibres

Coir

A coarse, short fibre extracted from

the outer shell of coconuts, coir is

found in ropes, mattresses, brushes,

geotextiles and automobile seats

Coir is extracted from the tissues

surrounding the seed of the coconut

palm (Cocos nucifera), which is grown

on 10 million ha of land throughout

the tropics. There are two types of

coir: brown fibre, which is obtained

from mature coconuts, and finer white

fibre, which is extracted from

immature green coconuts after

soaking for up to 10 months.

The fibre

Coir fibres measure up to 35 cm in

length with a diameter of 12-25

microns. Among vegetable fibres, coir

has one of the highest concentrations

of lignin, making it stronger but less

flexible than cotton and unsuitable for

dyeing. The tensile strength of coir is

low compared to abaca, but it has

good resistance to microbial action

and salt water damage.

Uses of coir

White coir spun into yarn is used in

the manufacture of rope (at left) and,

thanks to its strong resistance to salt

water, in fishing nets

Brown coir is used in sacking, brushes,

doormats, rugs, mattresses, insulation

panels and packaging. In Europe, the

automobile industry upholsters cars

with pads of brown coir bonded with

rubber latex.

Geotextiles made from coir mesh (at

left) are durable, absorb water, resist

sunlight, facilitate seed germination,

and are 100% biodegradable.

Natural fibres

Flax

One of nature's strongest vegetable

fibres, flax was also one of the first to

be extracted, spun and woven into

textiles

Flax fibres obtained from the stems of

the plant Linum usitatissimum are

used mainly to make linen.

In Poland, a hectare of flax plants

yields 1.5 to 3.5 tonnes of fibre.

The leading producers of flax fibre are

France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Other significant producers are China,

Belarus and the Russian Federation.

Uses of flax

Fine and regular long flax fibres are spun into yarns for linen textiles. More than 70% of linen goes to clothing manufacture, where it is valued for its exceptional coolness in

hot weather - the legendary linen suit is a symbol of breezy summer elegance.

Linen fabric maintains a strong traditional niche among high quality household textiles - bed linen,

furnishing fabrics, and interior decoration accessories.

Shorter flax fibres produce heavier yarns suitable for kitchen towels, sails, tents and canvas.

Lower fibre grades are used as reinforcement and filler in thermoplastic composites and thermoset resins used in automotive interior substrates, furniture and other consumer products.

Natural fibres

Jute

The strong threads made from jute

fibre are used worldwide in sackcloth

- and help sustain the livelihoods of

millions of small farmers

Jute is extracted from the bark of the

white jute plant, Corchorus capsularis

and to a lesser extent from tossa jute

(C. olitorius). It flourishes in tropical

lowland areas with humidity of 60% to

90%. A hectare of jute plants

consumes about 15 tonnes of carbon

dioxide and releases 11 tonnes of

oxygen. Yields are about 2 tonnes of

dry jute fibre per hectare.

Bangladesh and West Bengal in India

the world's main jute producers, with

Myanmar and Nepal producing much

smaller quantities.

Uses of jute

During the Industrial

Revolution, jute yarn largely replaced flax

and hemp fibres in sackcloth. Today,

sacking still makes up the bulk of

manufactured jute products.

Jute yarn and twines are

also woven into curtains, chair coverings,

carpets, rugs and backing for l inoleum.

Blended with other fibres, it is used in

cushion covers, toys, wall hangings, lamp

shades and shoes. Very fine threads can

be separated out and made into imitation

silk

Jute is being used

increasingly in rigid packaging and

reinforced plastic and is replacing wood

in pulp and paper.

Geotextiles made from jute

are biodegradable, flexible, absorb

moisture and drain well. They are used to

prevent soil erosion and landslides

Natural fibres

Ramie

Not widely known outside the East

Asian countries that produce it, ramie

is lightweight, silky and made for

summer

Native to East Asia and commonly

known as China grass, ramie

(Boehmeria nivea) is a flowering plant

of the nettle family. Its bark has been

used for millennia to make twine and

thread, and spun as grass-cloth.

The ramie plant is grown for fibre

mainly in China, Brazil, the Lao PDR

and the Philippines. While it is

considered a promising "ecological"

fibre for use in textiles, fibre extraction

and cleaning is difficult and labour-

intensive.

Uses of ramie

Coarse ramie fibres are

suitable for making twine, rope and

nets. Wet-spun, it produces a fine yarn

with high lustre (at left), suitable for a

wide range of garments, ranging from

dresses to jeans.

Fabrics of 100% ramie are

lightweight and silky, similar in

appearance to linen. The Korean

traditional costume, the ramie hanbok

(at right), is renowned for its fineness

However, since it has low

elasticity and resilience, ramie is

usually blended with other textile

fibres. It increases the lustre and

strength of cotton fabric and reduces

shrinkage in wool blends. It is also

blended with silk.

Natural fibres

Sisal

Too coarse for clothing and

upholstery, sisal is replacing glass

fibres in composite materials used to

make cars and furniture

Sisal fibre is obtained from Agave

sisalana, a native of Mexico. The hardy

plant grows well in a variety of hot

climates, including dry areas

unsuitable for other crops. After

harvest, its leaves are cut and crushed

in order to separate the pulp from the

fibres. The average yield of dried fibres

is about 1 tonnes per hectare,

although yields in East Africa reach 2.5

tonnes.

Sisal is cultivated for fibre in Brazil,

China, Cuba, Kenya, Haiti, Madagascar, and Mexico. Production patterns differ between counties. In Tanzania and Kenya sisal is predominantly a plantation crop, while production in Brazil is largely small-scale.

Uses of sisal

Sisal is used in twine and ropes, but competition from polypropylene has weakened demand

It is used as reinforcement in plastic composite materials, particularly in automotive components, but also in furniture. Another promising use is as a substitute for asbestos in brake pads.

By-products from sisal extraction can be used for making bio-gas, pharmaceutical ingredients and building material.

Natural fibres

Abaca

Once a favoured source of rope for

ship's rigging, abaca shows promise as

an energy-saving replacement for

glass fibres in automobiles

Also called manila hemp, abaca is

extracted from the leaf sheath around

the trunk of the abaca plant (Musa

textilis), a close relative of the banana,

native to the Philippines and widely

distributed in the humid tropics

The world's leading abaca producer is

the Philippines

Uses of abaca

During the 19th century

abaca was widely used for ships'

rigging, and pulped to make sturdy

manila envelopes.

Today, it is still used to

make ropes, twines, fishing lines and

nets, as well as coarse cloth for

sacking. There is also a flourishing

niche market for abaca clothing,

curtains, screens and furnishings.

Paper made from abaca

pulp is used in stencil papers, cigarette

filter papers, tea-bags and sausage

skins, and also in currency paper

(Japan's yen banknotes contain up to

30% abaca).

Natural fibres

Angora

Fine, silky and exceptionally soft to

the touch, the wool of the Angora

rabbit is used in high quality knitwear

The angora is a variety of the Old

World domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus

cuniculus) with a special characteristic:

the active phase of hair growth is

double that of normal rabbits.

An adult angora produces up to 1.5 kg

of fibre per year.

Angora wool is very soft to the touch,

thanks to the low relief of its cuticle

scales. The hairs are light, absorb

water well and are easily dyed.

Premium wool is taken from the back

and upper sides of the rabbit.

Until the 1960s, France was the

leading producer of angora wool. Since

then it has been overtaken by China,

where angora farms count more than

50 million rabbits. Other angora

producers are Argentina, Chile, Czech

Republic and Hungary.

Uses of angora

Light but warm, angora

wool is used mainly in knitted clothes,

such as pullovers, scarves, socks and

gloves, producing a moderate

"fluffing" effect.

Garments made of 100% angora wool

are considered too warm and the

fibres are too fine to provide density. It

is therefore usually blended with other

fibres, such as wool (right) to improve

its processing performance, elasticity

and wearability.

Natural fibres

Cashmere

Its luxurious, rare and expensive: the

wool of six kashmir goats is enough to

make just one cashmere sports jacket

The only source of true cashmere is

the kashmir goat (Capra hircus

laniger), native to the Himalayas.

China is the world's leading cashmere

producer, while Mongolia produces

the finest fibre (with diameter of

around 15 microns). Other, smaller

producers include Australia, India, Iran,

Pakistan, New Zealand, Turkey, and the

USA.

It has natural crimp, allowing it to be

spun into fine, lightweight fabrics.

Cashmere has small air spaces

between the fibres, which makes it

warm without weight, while thin

cuticle cells on the fibre surface make

it smooth and lustrous.

Uses of cashmere

Cashmere is luxurious,

rare and expensive: spun and woven,

the annual fibre production of six

kashmir goats is enough to make just

one cashmere sports jacket.

Coarser cashmere is used

for rugs and carpets.

The fabric is widely used as cashmere

sweaters (at right) because of its

warmth and in babywear because of

its softness. It is also used as blazers,

coats, jackets and underwear.

Pashmina is a type of cashmere, used

mainly in scarves and shawls,

produced in the valley of Kashmir

Natural fibres

Cotton

Almost pure cellulose, cotton is the

world's most widely used natural

fibre and still the undisputed "king" of

the global textiles industry

The cotton fibre grows on the seed of

a variety of plants of the genus

Gossypium. Of the four cotton species

cultivated for fibre, the most

important are G. hirsutum, which

originated in Mexico and produces

90% of the world's cotton, and G.

barbadense, of Peruvian origin, which

accounts for 5%. World average cotton

yields are around 800 kg per hectare.

Cotton is almost pure cellulose, with

softness and breathability that have

made it the world's most popular

natural fibre

It absorbs moisture readily, which

makes cotton clothes comfortable in

hot weather, while high tensile

strength in soap solutions means they

are easy to wash

Uses of cotton

An estimated 60% of cotton fibre is

used as yarn and threads in a wide

range of clothing, most notably in

shirts, T-shirts and jeans, but also in

coats, jackets, underwear and

foundation garments.

Cotton is also used to make home

furnishings, such as draperies,

bedspreads and window blinds, and is

the most commonly used fibre in

sheets, pillowcases, towels and

washcloths.

Its is made into specialty materials

suitable for a great variety of

applications: fire-proof apparel, cotton

wool, compresses, gauze bandages,

sanitary towels and cotton swabs.

Industrial products containing cotton

include bookbindings, industrial

thread and tarpaulins.

Natural fibres

Hemp

Easy to grow without agrochemicals,

hemp is used increasingly in

agrotextiles, car panels and

fibreboard, and "cottonized" for

clothing

Hemp fibre is obtained from the bast

of the plant Cannabis sativa L.

Production of hemp is restricted in

some countries, where the plant is

confused with marijuana. Optimum

yield of hemp fibre is more than 2

tonnes per ha, while average yields are

around 650 kg.

Long, strong and durable, hemp fibres

are about 70% cellulose and contain

low levels of lignin (around 8-10%).

Hemp fibre conducts heat, dyes well,

resists mildew, blocks ultraviolet light

and has natural anti-bacterial

properties. Shorter, woody core fibres

("tow") contain higher levels of lignin.

The world's leading producer of hemp

is China (above), with smaller

production in Europe, Chile and the

Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Uses of hemp

Hemp has been used for

centuries to make rope, canvas and

paper. Long hemp fibres can be spun

and woven to make crisp, linen-like

fabric used in clothing, home

furnishing textiles and floor coverings.

In China, hemp is de-gummed for

processing on flax or cotton

machinery. Blending with cotton,

linen, silk and wool gives hemp a

softer feel, while adding resistance and

durability to the product.

In Europe, hemp fibres are used

mainly in the special paper industry -

thanks to lower lignin content, it can

be pulped using fewer chemicals than

wood.

Hemp fibres are also used to reinforce

moulded thermoplastics in the

automobile industry. The short core

fibres go into insulation products,

fibreboard and erosion control mats,

while the fibrous core can be blended

with lime to make strong, lightweight

concrete.

Natural fibres

Mohair

Thin surface scales make mohair

smooth to touch, while light reflected

from its surface gives it a

characteristic lustre

Mohair" is derived from Arabic

(mukhayyar, a goat's hair cloth). The

goat in question, the Angora (Capra

hircus) is thought to have originated in

Tibet. Turkey was the centre of mohair

textile production before the goat was

introduced, during the 19th century, to

southern Africa and the USA.

Light and insulating, its tensile

strength is significantly higher than

that of merino wool. Like wool, mohair

has surface scales, but they are

thinner, making it smooth to the

touch. Light reflected from the surface

gives mohair a characteristic lustre.

the major producer is South Africa.

Uses of mohair

Mohair dyes exceptionally well and is

moisture-absorbing, resilient, and

flame- and crease-resistant. It is used

mainly in yarn for knitting and

crocheting, and in fabric for stoles,

scarves and durable upholstery.

Fine hair from younger animals is used

in clothing, while thicker hair from

older animals goes into rugs and

carpets and heavy fabrics for jackets

and coats.

Mohair is often blended with wool to

make top quality blankets. Weavers in

Italy and Japan use mohair in blends as

low as 20% to add crease resistance

and lustre to luxury garments.

Natural fibres

Silk

Developed in ancient China, where its

use was reserved for royalty, silk

remains the "queen of fabrics"

Silk is produced by the silkworm,

Bombyx mori. Fed on mulberry leaves,

it produces liquid silk that hardens

into filaments to form its cocoon. The

larva is then killed, and heat is used to

soften the hardened filaments so they

can be unwound. Single filaments are

combined with a slight twist into one

strand, a process known as filaturee or

"silk reeling".

Silk is produced in more than 20

countries. While the major producers

are in Asia, sericulture industries have

been established in Brazil, Bulgaria,

Egypt and Madagascar.