Abaca (Banana leaf fibre)
Abaca fibre, which is
widely known as manila hemp, is versatile and flexible in
use. It used to be mainly used in industrial cordage,
handicraft, fashion products such as hats and accessories,
home and house ware and decorative products. Nowadays Abaca
shows promise as an energy-saving replacement for glass
fibres in automobiles. Abaca is extracted from the leaf
sheath around the trunk of the Abaca plant a close relative
of the banana, native to the Philippines and widely
distributed in the humid tropics. Harvesting Abaca is
labourious. Each stalk must be cut into strips which are
scraped to remove the pulp. The fibres are then washed and
dried. Abaca is a leaf fibre, composed of long slim cells
that form part of the leaf's supporting structure. Lignin
content is a high 15%. Abaca is prized for its great
mechanical strength, buoyancy, resistance to saltwater
damage, and long fibre length – up to 3 m. The best
grades of Abaca are fine, lustrous, light beige in colour
and very strong.
