Philippines: further work on banana fibres for clothing
16/04/2010
Researchers at the Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI) have discovered the potential of six banana varieties as new sources of clothing fabric.
A study conducted by Marites de Leon, a senior science research specialist at the PTRI, found that the trunks of six banana cultivars—saba, lakatan, bongolan, pakil, saksik, and tordan—have high fibre yield based on low residual gum content. Ms De Leon said the residual gum content is one of the major considerations in assessing cellulosic fibre’s suitability for textile use.
“When banana fibres are blended with cotton or polyester, the yarn could produce fabrics suited for apparel applications,” she said.
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