NATURAL PINEAPPLE LEAF FIBER SUITABLE FOR SPINNERS AND WEAVERS CRAFT TEXTILE

NATURAL PINEAPPLE LEAF FIBER SUITABLE FOR SPINNERS AND WEAVERS CRAFT TEXTILE

1. What is Pineapple fiber?

Pineapple fiber fabric is also known as pineapple leaf fiber fabric, this is a type of fabric made from natural fibers extracted from pineapple plants. Utilizing the huge amount of pineapple leaves to create environmentally friendly textile materials is a method of utilizing raw materials and minimizing the use of other resources to create fabric materials. Pineapple fiber is a naturally produced plant-based fiber, this is a continuous choice and this material is biodegradable and very useful for various technical applications. The development of technology in the fashion industry plays an important role in promoting change towards sustainability.
Pineapple trees are commonly grown in Vietnam and other countries around the world. In the past, after harvesting the fruit, the pineapple leaves were often thrown away, causing waste. Because the pineapple leaves used as green manure take a long time to ferment, and when used as animal feed, they will tear the mouths of livestock. Therefore, producing silk from pineapple leaves is the best solution to create more jobs and income for farmers. When pineapple leaves are separated into fibers, they are very silky, thin, soft and more fragile than coconut fiber and jute. The pineapple leaf fibers have low strength, so they are mixed with high strength fibers to create a fabric that has both the softness of pineapple leaf fibers and the strength of other fibers.

It has high insulation power and high absorbency.
The thermal conductivity of this fiber is below at 0.0273 watts/m2/k which suggests that these fibers can be used as good thermal insulators.
It has high flexural and torsional rigidity than that of cotton fiber.
It has a high degree of crystallinity with a spiral angle of 15 C
Effect of alkali: when it is treated with 18% NaOH results in length shrinkage and enhances breaking elongation.
Effect of H2O2: H2O2 improves its fineness up to 5 to 6% but reduces tensile strength by 40 to 45%.
Pineapple fiber dissolves in 60% sulphuric acid in 5 min.

2. Characteristics:

• The pineapple fiber is soft, translucent, white or ivory in color and has luster.
• It has an elegant appearance similar to linen and is lightweight and easy to care for.
• Pineapple silk is considered the queen of Philippine fabrics.
• It is durable and resistant to moisture.
• The yield of fiber is 2.5 to 3.3% of the weight of green leaves.
• It can blend efficiently with any other fabrics.
• It can be washed and doesn’t need to be dry cleaned.
• An embroidered Pina garment is called as Pina calado.
• When the pineapple fiber is woven with silk it is called Pina Seda or Pina silk.
• A blend of abaca or silk is known as Pina jusi.
• It is 10 times coarser than cotton and the fiber and has a higher dye absorption tendency due to its higher moisture regain.
• It can be dyed with direct, reactive, vat, and azo dyes with better fastness properties as compared to that of cotton.
• It can also be dyed with basic dyes at room temperature due to the presence of lignin and hemicellulose, which are more than 15% amorphous in character with acidic nature.

3. Use of Pineapple Fiber:

• The pineapple fibers can be used in wide applications from apparel to technical textiles.
• Used in industrial applications like tires and conveyor belts and can be used in the paper manufacturing industry.
• The pineapple fabric used to make upholstery and furnishing.
• It is used for making table linens, bags, mats, and other clothing items.
• It is used for making a thin and transparent embroidered garment known as barong Tagalog which has worn over a shirt and other formal wear in the Philippines.
• It is used for making wedding attire for men, blouses for women, kimonos, panuelos, gowns, and handkerchiefs.
• Sports items, baggage, automobiles, cabinets, and mats. Surface modified PALF is introduced for making machinery parts like belt cord, conveyor belt cord, transmission cloth, and air-bag tying cords.
• It is generally used in making threads for textile fabrics.
• It can be suitable for various other applications such as cosmetics, medicine, and biopolymers coating for chemicals.
• It is used to reinforce the corrugated roofing sheets.

In short, pineapple fabric is a fabric made from the leaves of the pineapple plant. The birth of pineapple fabric is not only meaningful in the fashion industry but it also has a positive impact on the environment. Hopefully with the above sharing about pineapple fabric, you have had an overview of this interesting fabric material.