FIVE REASONS FOR CHOOSING NATURAL FIBRES
Keith Maddison, UNA Shrophire branch

NATURAL FIBRES CONSIST OF ALL THOSE FIBROUS MATERIALS OBTAINED FROM ANIMAL AND PLANT SOURCE. Wool is the major fibre from animal sources and cotton the principal fibre obtained from plants. Both of these fibres are used to provide clothing and shelter for peoples throughout the world. Other fibres provide products for man’s use and protection in different parts of the world. Apart from the wool of sheep, other animal fibres are obtained from goats, rabbits, camels, alpaca and silk worms and used principally for high quality apparel, including; angora, cashmere, alpaca, pashmina, mohair and silk. Examples of plant fibres are; flax for linen fabrics; hemp for ropes and tents; jute for hessian sacks, bags and carpet backing; sisal for ropes and bags; and coconut coir for matting, mattresses and brushes. These are a few examples of fibres and their products.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization

The United Nations (UN), by its mandate for economic and social development for the peoples throughout the world, is committed to provide food security and poverty alleviation as one of its principal objectives through one of its major agencies, the Food and Agriculture Organization, (FAO).

FAO was founded in October 1945. It is based in Rome and is the lead agency for rural development in the UN system. Other UN specialised programmes and agencies also provide supporting activities for FAO. These co-ordinate development activities, oversee food distribution, provide finance and expertise for agricultural projects, etc. Hence the UN Organisation is well placed to undertake rural development programmes.

International Year of Natural Fibres

This was conceived by FAO in December 2004 and endorsed by UN member governments in November 2005 to focus the world attention on the role that natural fibres play in contributing to food security and poverty alleviation. The programme was ratified by the UN General Assembly in December 2006 on the grounds that fibres, provide clothing for the world’s population; provide cash income for small farmers in developing countries; have considerable environmental benefits; and promote partnerships between countries producing natural fibres.

Why Natural Fibres?

There are five good reasons for choosing items made from natural fibres, as opposed to those from man-made synthetic fibres, such as acrylic, nylon, polyester and polypropylene, obtained from petrochemicals.

1. Natural fibres are a healthy choice As cotton clothing and bed linen they provide natural ventilation and in the case of wool, good insulation against both cold and heat. Linen is hygienic; coconut coir has natural resistance to fungus and mites and hemp has anti-bacterial properties. Plant products transported and stored in jute and sisal sacks do not deteriorate as they do in plastic and polypropylene bags.
2. They are a responsible choice Natural fibres are of major economic importance to the livelihood of small-scale farmers and processors in developing countries, supporting tens of millions of families throughout the world.
3. They are a sustainable choice They are a renewable resource as opposed to synthetic man-made fibres. They are carbon neutral and energy efficient and their residue provides bio-composites for fuel in generating electricity, and fibreboard for house building as well as compost for soil enrichment and stabilisation.
4. They are a high-tech choice They have good mechanical strength, low weight and low cost. They are attractive to the aerospace, motor vehicle and building industries in providing composite and thermo plastic materials for panels, boards and insulation as well as a substitute for asbestos in roofing materials.
5. They are a fashionable choice Natural fibres are at the heart of an eco-fashion or “sustainable clothing” movement that seek to create garments that are sustainable at every stage of their life cycle. Natural fibre producers, textile manufacturers and the clothing industry need to be aware of and respond to the opportunities provided for the growing demand for recyclable and biodegradable fabrics, and for “Fair Trade” practices in offering producers higher prices and protection for textile industry workers.

This article is based on an address given at the “Story of Wool” day, a one-day event on 22 August 2009 in Shropshire organised by Thelma Thompson of the UNA Shropshire branch.