1National Institute of Research on Jute and Allied Fibre Technology, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
2Central Research Institute for Jute and Allied Fibres, Barrackpore, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
3Palli Siksha Bhavana, Visva Bharati, Sriniketan, West Bengal, India
*Address for correspondence D. P. Ray, National Institute of Research on Jute and Allied Fibre Technology, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Email: drdebprasadray@gmail.com
Online published on 23 November, 2015.
Ramie (Boehmeria nivea L. Gaud.) is a fibre yielding flowering plant belonging to the Nettle family Uriticaceae (Ray et al., 2014b). Before using this bast fibre for textile products, it has to be degummed completely or partially. The degummed ramie fibre is silky, lustrous and whitest of the white. This classic fibre has unique physical and chemical properties that differentiate ramie from other bast fibres commonly used in textile industries. Single filament of ramie fibre is very fine and possesses excellent tenacity, luster and microbial resistivity. The fibre absorbs and liberates moisture very fast with almost negligible shrinkage. It is more resistant to chemical actions than most other major fibres. The ultimate fibre cell length, breadth, L/B ratio, cell wall thickness, gravimetric fineness of ramie fibre is superior to jute, cotton or flax. Despite of its unique characteristics, ramie still remains unexplored due to high percentage of gum which binds the fibres together and makes it difficult to spin yarn (Ray et al., 2014d).
Ramie, degumming, bast fibre, tenacity, fineness
