Before the advent of man-made fibres in the textile industry, fabrics and apparel were manufactured using natural fibres. Despite the evolution of synthetic fibres over the years, natural fibres have not lost their prominence. The goodness they offer remains unparalleled, making them a preferred choice.
Textile experts have been experimenting with several natural fibres like banana, pineapple, and many more. One such distinctive plant based natural fibres that is used to make fibres and fabrics is “sugarcane.” While sugarcane offers health benefits on the one hand, it can also be used extensively in the textile industry.
The new popular natural fibre for fabrics: Sugarcane
Sugarcane bagasse to fabric
Sugarcane bagasse has proven to be a great resource that can be used for various purposes in the business if textiles.
How is it made?
- Once the Juice is extracted from sugarcanes, the remaining fibre pulp is what is known as bagasse.
- Bagasse is shredded with eco-friendly chemicals.
- To transform the Bagasse to fibres the mixture which is in liquid form is shot at a very high pressure through tiny holes.
- This long strand of fibre is then solidified and spun into yarn that is further used to manufacture fabrics.
Significance of sugarcane fibres in the textile industry
It is important to know what makes these fibres suitable for usage in textiles:
Eco-friendly
Sugarcane fabrics can mitigate environmental concerns – instead of burning the bagasse, an agricultural waste generated by the sugar industry, the same is being recycled and transformed into fibers. In the year 2019–2020, global sugarcane production was approximately 166.18 million metric tons, which resulted in 50 million metric tons of bagasse. So that is a massive amount of bagasse which can be used purposefully in making fabrics.
Has a delightful lustre
Sugarcane fabric has a delightful lustre. It is relatively glossier in appearance and feels more like silk, giving the fabrics and apparel made out of such fibres a comfortable feel with a fine appearance.
Optimal fibre length
As sugarcane bagasse fibres are significantly longer, they are textile-friendly. Bagasse fibres have a length several hundred times the width. This acts as a vantage point that holds the fibres properly together when they are twisted to form yarns.
Inherently strong fibres
Sugarcane fibres have good tenacity, i.e.., they are strong, and can withstand spinning and weaving processes.
ReshaMandi leads the way in innovative yarns
ReshaMandi, India’s first and largest farm-to-fashion digital ecosystem for natural fibres, is working to bring environmentally-friendly yarns to the forefront. It is exploring the option of utilising pineapple leaves, an agricultural waste, to create yarns that can be used to craft home decor products like rugs.
