Transactions on Engineering and Sciences ISSN: 2347-1964 (Online) 2347-1875 (Print)

Vol.2, Issue 9, September 2014

Abaca Fibre
K.Vijayalakshmi1 Ch.Y.K.Neeraja2 Ayuodhya Kavitha3 J.Hayavadana4
1,2Student, Department of Textile Technology, University College of Technology (A) , Osmania
University, Hyderabad-7, Telengana.
3Asst.Professor, Department of Textile Technology, University College of Technology (A) , Osmania

University, Hyderabad-7, Telengana.

4 Professor, Department of Textile Technology, University College of Technology (A) , Osmania

University, Hyderabad-7, Telengana.

Abstract: Abaca is a leaf fibre which belongs to banana family of plants with more tapering the leaves
than Banana and is cheap and abundantly available. Known as Manila Hemp Abaca is a hard fibre.
Abaca is the strongest of all natural fibres. Abaca fibre is extracted from the leaf sheath traditionally by
stripping using either manual or mechanical process. Volcanic areas are suited for abaca cultivation the
Philippines tropical climate. It has a lot of applications in household as well as technical areas.
Index Terms – Abaca fibre, Natural fibre, Physical and chemical properties
I. INTRODUCTION
Abaca is a leaf fibre which belongs to banana family of plants with the botanical name of MUSA
TEXTILES. These leaves are upright, pointed, narrower, and more tapering than the leaves of banana.
Abaca (Manila Hemp) is one among the natural fibre–reinforcing materialsAbaca is a hard fibre and is
entirely different from true hemp, which is a soft fibre and is the product of Cannabis sativa.

Abaca is superior fibre with its high tensile and folding strength, buoyancy, high porosity, resistance to
saltwater damage, and long fibre length up to 3 m. The best grades of Abaca are fine, lustrous, light beige
in color and very strong. Abaca is the strongest of all natural fibres. It is use as raw material for cordage,
fibre crafts, and pulp for the production of specialty paper products like security papers, tea bags, meat
casings, nonwoven materials, and cigarette papers.
Table 1:Comparison of chemical composition of Abaca with other Natural Fibres

Chemical Abaca Hemp Jute Sisal Linen Cotton

composition (leaf) (bast) (bast) (leaf) (bast) (seed)
Cellulose 68.32% 77.5% 64% 71.5% 82% 80-90%
Hemi cellulose 19.00% 10% 20% 18.1% 2% 4-6%
Lignin 12-13% 6.8% 13.3% 5.9% 4% 0-1.5%
Moisture content 10-11% 1.8% 1.5% 4% 7.7% 6-8%
Ash content 4.8% 3.9% 1.0% 1% 3.4% 1-1.8%

Table 2: Comparison of Physical Properties of Abaca with other Natural Fibres

Physical properties Abaca Hemp Jute Sisal Linen Cotton

Density (g/cm3) 1.5 1.48 1.46 1.33 1.4 1.54

Fibre length 2-4 mtr 1-2 mtr 3-3.5 mtr 1 mtr Upto 90cm 10-65mm
150-260 16-50 60-110 100-300 12-60 11-22
Fibre diameter
microns microns microns microns microns microns
Tensile strength (N/ m2 ) 980 550-900 400-800 600-700 800 400
Elongation 1.1% 1.6% 1.8% 4.3% 2.7-3.5% 3-10%
Moisture regain 5.81% 12% 13.75% 11% 10-12% 8.5%
Young's modulus (GPa) 41 30-60 20-25 17-22 50-70 6-10

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Transactions on Engineering and Sciences ISSN: 2347-1964 (Online) 2347-1875 (Print)
Vol.2, Issue 9, September 2014
Table 3: Comparison of chemical properties of abaca with other natural fibres

Fibre Effect of acids Effect of alkali Ability to dye

Due to higher lignin
content, fibre has higher
Abaca inherent acidic content &
have a higher potential for
acidic degradation. It is not
hydrolyzed by acids.
Easily damaged by hot
Jute
dilute acids and conc. cold
acid.
It is soluble in hot alkali,
readily oxidized and
easily condensable with
phenol
Fibres are damaged by
strong alkali. Fibres
losses weight when it
heated with caustic soda.
Abaca fibre shows
excellent ability to
dyeing without any
loss of luster.
Easy to dyeing. Basic
dye is used to color jute
fibre.

The Abaca Plant: The matured Abaca plant consists of about 12 to 30 stalks radiating from a central root
system. Each of these stalks is about 12 to 20 feet high and the fiber is stripped from the stem rather than the
leaf, with each stalk being cut into sheaths and then strips or ‘taxies’. The strips are then scraped to remove
the pulp, then sometimes washed and dried. The outer leaves of the plant are wider and contain more but
coarser fiber than the inner leaves. Harvesting of the stalks usually takes place between 18 to 24 months
from the first shoots. The Abaca plant to the untrained eye can easily be mistaken for the banana plant -
without the fruit.

Extraction Method for Abaca Fiber: Abaca fibre is extracted from the leaf sheath traditionally by stripping
using either manual or mechanical process. When either of the process is used, tuxying is employed.
Tuxying is the process of separating the outer sheath, which contains primary fibres, from the inner leaf
sheath, where secondary fibres are found. The separated outer leaf sheath is called tuxy. An alternative
method of extracting abaca fibre is by decortication. In this process, the whole leaf sheath is used to extract
the fibre, recovering both the primary and the secondary fibres. In this production is higher compared to the
traditional hand stripping and spindle stripping methods. In which the decortications method yields from
3.0 to 3.5% fibre. With the manual extraction process, fibre recovery is at 1.0%.the spindle stripping process
yields from 1.5 to 2% fiber.

Spindle stripping machine Decortication machine

Environmental Benefits includes Erosion control and biodiversity rehabilitation

Uses of Abaca:
Today, it is still used to make ropes, twines, fishing lines and nets, as well as coarse cloth for sacking.

There is also a flourishing niche market for Abaca clothing, curtains, screens and furnishings. Fiber craft
products like Abaca rugs, doormats, hats, coasters, hot pads, linen and handbags became very much in
demand abroad. The fiber craft industry became the second biggest foreign exchange earner for the
Abaca industry, next to raw fibre exports. Cordage products include ropes, twines, marine cordage,
binders, cord
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Transactions on Engineering and Sciences ISSN: 2347-1964 (Online) 2347-1875 (Print)
Vol.2, Issue 9, September 2014

The plant is felled Parts are separated Hauling of Stalks Feeding of Material

Transported to a Fibres are bundled Fibres are dried Fibres are stripped
warehouse
Figure: Work flow in the Extraction of Abaca fibre

Pulp and paper manufactures - tea bags, filter paper, mimeograph stencil, base tissue, sausage skin,
base paper, Cigarette paper, currency paper(Japan's yen bank notes contain up to 30% Abaca), chart file
folders, envelopes, time cards, book binders and parchment paper, Micro glass air filters media, x-ray
negative, optical lens wiper, vacuum filter, oil filter.

It has been approved as main component in the manufacture of composites used in automotive industry
due to Abaca fiber's lightness as compared to fiberglass. Mercedes Benz has used a mixture of
polypropylene thermoplastic and abaca yarn in auto mobile body parts. Nonwovens - medical gas masks
and gowns, diapers, hospital linens, bed sheets. Handmade paper - paper sheets, stationeries, all-purpose
cards, lamp shades, balls, dividers, placemats, bags, photo frames and albums, flowers, table clock. Fiber
crafts - handbags, hammocks, placemats, rugs, carpets, purses and wallets
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Transactions on Engineering and Sciences ISSN: 2347-1964 (Online) 2347-1875 (Print)
Vol.2, Issue 9, September 2014

Hand-woven fabrics - sin may, pinukpok, tanoak, dag may Sacks, hot pads, coasters, baskets, wallpaper.
Others - wire insulator and cable, automobile, automobile components/composites. The abaca is also used
in industrial, draperies and textile.

Potential Uses of Abaca:

Fiberboards - roofing tiles, floor tiles, hollow blocks, boards, reinforcing fiber concrete and asphalt
Fuels – muscatel, Miscellaneous applications - wigs, grass skirts
REFERENCES
[1] Handbook of textile fibres by J. Gordon Cook
[2] Bast and other plant fibres, Edited by Robert R Franck
[3] ABACA, Improvement of Fiber Extraction and Identification of Higher Yielding Varieties Final
Technical Report, CFC/FIGHF/09
[4] RamadevI Punyamurthy et al, “Influence of Esterification on the Water Absorption Property of Single
Abaca Fiber”, Chemical Science Transactions, 2013, 2(2), 413-422
[5] Abaca Fiber (Manila Hemp) | Uses/Application of Abaca Fiber, Journal of Textile learner
[6] Giuseppe Cristaldi, Composites Based on Natural Fibre Fabrics, Woven Fabric Engineering.
[7] Raghavendra R. Hegde, COTTON FIBERS
[8] Philippine agricultural Review, Vol 12, 1999, p.38
[9] International Year of Natural Fibres,2009
[10] Abaca Philippines,2007
[11] Textile fashion study, Textile Engineering and fashion design blog.
[12] Joseph et al, A comparison of the mechanical properties of the phenol formaldehyde composites
reinforced with banana and glass fibres, Composites Science and Technology,2002
[13] Antonio r. & Elizabeth p.sievert, “The story of Abaca”, Ateneo de Manila University Press,2009
Image Courtesy:
www.abaca-philippine-history.com, www.unido.org
www.abacaphilippines.com
www.tonkshistory.wordpress.com
www.flickriver.com
www.raybradleyconsulting.com
www.ecokaila.wordpress.com
www.textilecalculations.blogspot.com
www.agripinoy.net
www.fida.da.gov.ph

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