BANANA FIBRE

BANANA FIBRE

The National Institute for Inter-disciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST) here, a laboratory of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), has developed a technology for extraction of banana fibre, the raw material for a range of eco-friendly products. The indigenously developed process know-how is for ‘clean extraction of banana fibre from pseudo stems (leftover banana trunk after harvest) and empty bunches.’ The fibre can be used to make yarn, paper and paper cups, cordage, tea bags, handbags, and footwear. An international patent has been sought for the process know-how, a spokesman for the CSIR-NIIST said. It has already been licensed to three parties, including one based in the Philippines. The CSIR-NIIST expects the process to become acceptable at the local level, the spokesman said.

Banana fibre is generally extracted through a cumbersome manual process. By using a metal scraper (flat and blunt blade), the pseudo stem sheaths are scraped and the fibre is separated. An individual at work can extract just about 500 gm in this manner; the mechanical process yields 10 times the quantity but with heavy damage to the fibre. The CSIR-NIIST technology involves an anaerobic (without oxygen) process. The fibres are separated by enzymes produced through microbial action in an anaerobic reactor. The organic wastes get converted into biogas in the process. The process water is recirculated. Under optimum conditions, separation of the fibres gets completed in a week’s time, says V. Manilal of the Process Engineering and Environmental Technology division at the NIIST. The fibres are washed and dried in sunlight to bring down the moisture content considerably.The fibre obtained is brilliant white in colour and has little pith residues. The CSIR-NIIST claims that the process is inexpensive, pollution- free, and avoids damage to fibres. It also has the potential to generate employment and can offer higher earnings for farmers. For details, the CSIR-NIIST can be contacted on phone 0471-2515388. Apart from the uses, Banana offers a food source of the fiber with excellent commercial value. Fiber is extracted from pseudo stems of the Banana after the harvest.Banana fiber is a major alternative to pulp industry. Raw material is freely available. The Banana fiber project creates a lot of employement opportinites in urban and rural sectors. Banana fiber is eco- friendly and biodegradable comaring to all other synthetic fibres.. India has about 5 lakh hactares of Banana cultivation only 10 % of the Banana wate is extracted as fibre,mostly the fiber is extracted by manual process, and the yield of fiber is very low and this kind of manual process needs skilled labours.

 The stem of the banana plant is cut and processed. The skin is then peeled off, and fibres are extracted. The extracted fibre is cooked in a big pot of boiling lye, an alkali solution. After cooking for several hours, it is then washed to remove the alkali. Using a tool, the fibre is removed from the skin. Soft fibres are used for weft, while the hard fibres are used for the warp. The fibres are immersed in water and squeezed lightly. They are then separated by running nails along the fibres from the root moving upwards. Individual fibres are joined together to make one continuous thread. This is a tedious and time consuming job requiring much patience.The extracted fibres are made wet to avoid breaking, and are spun in a spinning wheel. The thread is now dyed steamed and dyed. After dyeing, the thread is laid out according to the design and passed through a temporary reed. The ward is wounded onto the beam and passed through the reed and heddle. The thread is moistened frequently to avoid breaking while weaving. Once the cloth is woven, it is washed, and boiled in an alkali solution. Later it is washed, dried, and neutralized in rice vinegar solution. Finally, the cloth is washed again, dried and ironed.Papers made from banana fibres have good market in 25 international countries including Europe. These papers are chemical free, and posses' eco frhttp://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTkBfkj__6LldWe8JfP3gesjJoYwZ5W0PG72BQSK-RLZ-C6dtZxEwiendly qualities, with longevity of 700 years. Apart from this table mats, bags, runners, coasters, and floor http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTkBfkj__6LldWe8JfP3gesjJoYwZ5W0PG72BQSK-RLZ-C6dtZxEwmats are also made from banana fibres. In Japan, these fibres are used for making traditional dresses like kimono. Its light weight and skin friendly virtues have made it a preferential choice for summer wear. In home textile segment, this fibre finds its way in cushion covers, curtains, and table cloths.Banana is mainly cultivated in more than 107 countries all over the world. What are the prospects for this fibre gaining global spotlight? Dr. Rajan P Nachane, Principle Scientist and Head, Quality Evaluation & Improvement Division of Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology, says, "Being completely biodegradable and naturally occurring, the banana fibre products are expected to be in great demand in the international markets as they pose no toxic effects to man and the environment. A number of value added textile products can be made which in turn would enhance the profitability of banana farming. Banana fibres can be made available at cheap rate for preparation of fancy articles as well as textiles".

"In the past spinning of Banana fibres has been tried on jute spinning machinery for making ropes and sacks. However, spinning performance of Banana fibres for the preparation of yarns and fabrics has not been tried much in India." While talking about the Indian market for banana fibres, he said, "An estimated yield of one million tons of dry banana fibres annually, a very small quantity is presently being utilized for the preparation of handicraft items".Application potential of banana fibre is not having optimum utilization. Buyers for these fibres are also inconsistent. Extraction of fibres requires a more systematic way. Government patronage and useful applications of this fibre would regularize the demand and enable a sturdy market for these fibre products.With the increasing demand for banana in the global arena, much focus is required on increasing its production generating more of the pseudo stem biomass waste. Being a rich source of natural fibres, the pseudo stem can be profitably utilized for numerous applications and preparation of various products.

Prof. John Kurakar