Roselle Fibre
Botanical Information
- The rosella plant usually is cultivated for fruits however, it’s bark also has fibres.
- Hibiscus Sabdariffa is a non-conventional bast fibre producing plant along with fruits which are available in abundant quantity in the northeastern region of India.
- The Roselle plant is a little annual shrub with a height of 1.6 – 3.2 m or more and has a deep taproot system .
- It belongs to the Malvaceae family, like hibiscus, okra, durian, and other flowering plants.
Agroclimatic Conditions for Cultivation
- It prefers a dry or warm, humid climate with an average rainfall of 150 to 200 cm annually.
- During the growing period, it requires water of about 25 cm per month beneath the soil.
- In addition, these plants can also survive in different climatic conditions and require little care during their growth period, resulting in abundant production.
- It takes 90-120 days for the fibre to mature, followed by extraction and other processing.
- This fibre mainly requires going under the retting and degumming process due to the hard gummy material and its cohesiveness to the fibres.
- The average production of the plant is around 11 quintals/hectare.
Physical & Mechanical properties
Length
120mm
Diameter
13.1µm
Fineness
3.80 g/tex
Moisture regains
7.40%
Bundle Strength
21.5 g/tex
Elongation at break
8.6%
Chemical composition
Cellulose
52.40%
Hemicellulose
11.50%
Lignin
15.60%
Ash
0.80%
Pectin
14.80%
Moisture
8%
Wax
0.50%
Features of fibre
- The roselle fibres possess qualities like lustre and strength.
- It also provides with high microbial resistance, and long-lasting durability making them valuable for manufacturing items that require these characteristics.
- The colour range of the fibres, from creamy to silvery white, can also be an advantage for various aesthetic and functional applications.
- These bio fibres has many advantages such as easy availability, biodegradability, cost-effective, can be processed easily and can be recycled.
- It holds better energy recovery properties, is non-toxic and is eco-friendly.
- Additionally, the trend of blending roselle fibres with other textile fibres like cotton, flax, and wool reflects the versatility of these fibres and the desire to create composite materials with enhanced properties .
Uses
- The roselle fibres and yarns are mainly used to make rope, heavy-duty cables, and composite materials due to their sustainable nature and resistance to biodegradation for a long time.
- Blending of roselle fibres with other textile fibres such as cotton, flax, and wool, is an emerging opportunity in making woven and knitted products.
- These fibres are also used for weaving and knitting to create beautiful and durable textile articles.
