Ramie fibres are from the stem of a flowering herbaceous perennial in the nettle family, growing 1-2.5 m tall and native to eastern Asia. They are used for fabric, string and rope, bowstrings, and more recently in polymer composites. Ramie is one of the oldest fibre crops, having been used for at least six thousand years,
Uses
- Historically used for bowstrings in Laos
Potential Uses
- [Research / explorative student projects / ideas etc.]
Processes
- It is a bast fibre, and the part used is the bark (phloem) of the vegetative stalks.
- Normally harvested 2-3times a year, but under good growing conditions can be harvested up to six.
- Peel off outer layer, and dry (e.g. in the sun)
- Unlike other bast crops, ramie requires chemical processing to de-gum the fibre, if required