The FAO has declared 2009 International Year of Natural Fibres. Within natural fibres we can find materials as important for humanity as wool, cotton or flax, key in our development through history. They are used in a variety of markets, to produce textiles, paper and composite materials. The benefits of their production, sales and export significantly help farmers in deprived areas to secure an income, a rare advantage over other crops and lines of work. For this reason, mundomaterial wants to promote through 2009 the use of natural fibres in their many applications.
2009 has been declared by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations,FAO, the International Year of Natural Fibres. With this initiative FAO aims at promoting the use of natural fibres of animal and vegetal origin. Modern manmade synthetic fibres, like nylon, polyester or acrylic fibres are obviously not included. Other natural fibres sourced from trees are not included, as they will be promoted in 2011, International Forests Year. The following 15 natural fibres are considered to be the most important ones:
| Vegetal fibres |
Animal fibres |
|
| Abaca | Alpaca wool |
|
| Coir | Angora wool |
|
| Cotton | Camel hair |
|
| Flax | Cashmere | |
| Hemp | Mohair | |
| Jute |
Silk | |
| Ramio | Wool | |
| Sisal |
Do visit FAO’s dedicated webpage for more info on natural fibres. It also has a calendar of worldwide activities related to these renewable, sustainable and in many cases fair trade materials. Mundomaterial wants to help promote natural fibres and I ask you to send me info on your projects. I’d love to publish your story if you are a producer, transformer or if you are coming out with a new product based on natural fibres.
Here are a couple of posts where I have already mentioned the use of natural fibres, mostly in composite materials:
