Natural Fibers

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Plant Based Fibers

Animal Based Fibers

• Cotton

• Linen (Flax)

• Hemp

• Jute

• Coir (Coconut fibre)

• Ramie

• Bamboo

• Wool (Sheep)

• Silk (Silkworm)

• Alpaca

• Cashmere (Goat)

• Mohair (Angora goat)

• Rabbit Hair

1. Wool-Type Fibers (Hair of Mammals)

These fibers are keratin-based, crimped, and primarily used for warmth.

• Sheep Wool – Merino, Shetland, Rambouillet, etc.

• Alpaca – Huacaya (fluffy) and Suri (silky) varieties.

• Llama – Coarser than alpaca but still soft.

• Camel Hair – Especially from Bactrian camels, very warm.

• Cashmere – From the undercoat of cashmere goats.

• Yak Hair – Fine undercoat used for warm garments.

• Vicuna – Very fine, rare, and luxurious fiber.

• Guanaco – Similar to vicuña, softer than llama/alpaca.

• Mohair – From Angora goat, silky and lustrous.

• Qiviut – Musk ox undercoat, softer and warmer than cashmere.

2. Silk-Type Fibers (Secreted by Insects)

These are fibroin-based filaments produced by larvae or spiders.

• Mulberry Silk – From Bombyx mori silkworms, most common commercial silk.

• Tussar Silk – From wild silkworms, coarser, more textured.

• Eri Silk – From Samia ricini silkworms, soft and matte.

• Muga Silk – Golden-colored silk from Assam, India.

• Spider Silk – Produced by spiders, extremely strong (used in research and specialty applications).

3. Hair / Specialty Animal Fibers

Used for brushes, accessories, and luxury blends.

• Horsehair – From horse mane or tail, used for upholstery, bows, brushes.

• Beaver Fur / Underfur – Formerly used in felt hats.

• Rabbit Fur / Angora – Extremely soft, used for sweaters and accessories.

• Reindeer Hair – Occasionally used in indigenous textiles.

• Bison Fiber – Fine undercoat used in niche textile production.

1. Seed Hair Fibers

These fibers grow from the seed or fruit hair of plants. They are usually soft, fine, and highly absorbent.

• Examples:

  • Cotton – from cotton seeds (Gossypium spp.)

  • Kapok – from kapok tree pods (Ceiba pentandra)

• Applications:

  • Cotton: apparel (shirts, jeans, underwear), home textiles (towels, bed sheets), medical gauze

  • Kapok: pillow filling, life jackets (buoyant fiber), insulation material

2. Bast Fibers (Stem/Phloem Fibers)

These fibers come from the inner bark (phloem) of the plant stem. They are strong, coarse, and often used in ropes or technical textiles.

• Examples:

  • Flax (Linen) – Linum usitatissimum

  • Jute – Corchorus capsularis, Corchorus olitorius

  • Hemp – Cannabis sativa

  • Kenaf – Hibiscus cannabinus

  • Ramie – Boehmeria nivea

• Applications:

  • Apparel (linen shirts, summer suits – flax, ramie)

  • Industrial uses (jute sacks, ropes, geotextiles, tarpaulin – jute, hemp, kenaf)

  • Composite reinforcement (hemp in automotive panels)

3. Leaf Fibers

These fibers are extracted from the vascular bundles of leaves. They are stiff, coarse, and used where durability is needed.

• Examples:

  • Sisal – Agave sisalana

  • Abaca (Manila Hemp) – Musa textilis

• Applications:

  • Ropes, mats, brushes, geotextiles, paper (currency notes often use abaca)

4. Fruit/Coir Fibers

These are coarse fibers obtained from the outer shell (husk) of fruits.

• Examples:

  • Coir – from coconut husk (Cocos nucifera)

• Applications:

  • Door mats, brushes, mattresses, geo-mats for erosion control, insulation panels

5. Grass and Reed Fibers

Fibers from grasses and reeds are not spinnable into yarn but are widely used for weaving mats and baskets.

• Examples:

  • Bamboo fiber (mechanically or chemically processed)

  • Raffia – from palm leaves

  • Straw – from wheat, rice, barley stalks

• Applications:

  • Bamboo: clothing (when processed to rayon), flooring, curtains

  • Raffia & straw: hats, bags, decorative mats

6. Wood Pulp–Derived Fibers (Regenerated Cellulose)

Though processed chemically, these are plant-origin fibers derived from wood or bamboo pulp.

• Examples:

  • Viscose Rayon, Modal, Lyocell (Tencel)

• Applications:

  • Soft apparel (dresses, blouses), home textiles (bed linen), nonwovens, wipes

7. Protein-Blended Plant Fibers

Some innovative blends mix plant cellulose with protein or other natural binders to enhance properties.

• Examples:

  • Soybean protein fiber blended with cotton or modal

• Applications:

  • Luxury apparel, undergarments (soft handle, antibacterial properties)

8. Geotextile-Grade Plant Fibers

These are coarser grades of bast, leaf, or fruit fibers used in erosion control, landscaping, and road stabilization.

• Examples:

  • Jute geotextiles

  • Coir geo-mats

  • Sisal nets

• Applications:

  • Road underlay, soil erosion control blankets, slope stabilization, riverbank protection

9. Emerging/Specialty Plant Fibers

Novel or niche fibers under research or limited production.

• Examples:

  • Banana pseudo-stem fiber – ropes, paper

  • Pineapple leaf fiber (PALF) – apparel, luxury textiles

  • Nettle fiber – sustainable fashion, ropes

• Applications:

  • Eco-fashion fabrics, composite reinforcement (lightweight panels), high-end home décor

Natural Fibers in Tops Form

All tops are on 10kg bumps. This is for worsted system.

For cotton or short staple system, normally 5 gr/meter slivers are used. Please inquire via our email or our inquiry form.

Please advise whether they will be dyed or used as is.

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