Volume 9, Issue 2, Spring2015

Banana Fiber: Scope and Value Added Product Development

C. Vigneswaran, V. Pavithra, V. Gayathri, and K. Mythili
Department of Fashion Technology
PSG college of Technology
India
ABSTRACT
Banana fiber is a natural bast fiber which has wide range of uses in handicraft product
developments such as mat, rope and twines, but only 10% of its pseudo stem is being used
for making products and remaining is waste or used as fertilizer. As it has a property like
weatherproof, UV protection (because of lignin content), moisture absorption, anti-oxidant
and bio degradable etc., it can be used to make variety of products that help farmers
economically and have wide scope to create new market. Recent studies have indicated
banana fiber possesses a lot of advantageous physical and chemical properties which can
be used a very good raw material for the textile and packaging industry.

Keywords: banana fiber, bio degradable, value addition, weather proof, packaging
material

1. INTRODUCTION the pseudostem is thrown as agricultural

Banana plant (scientific name: Musa waste to a great extent. These pseudostems
acuminate) not only gives the delicious fruit can be effectively utilized in production of
but it also provides textile fiber, the banana the banana fibers as, annually; about 1.5
fiber. It grows easily as it sets out young million tons of dry banana fibers can be
shoots and is most commonly found in hot produced from the outer sheath of
tropical climates. All varieties of banana pseudostem. Biomass (pseudostem) waste, a
plants have fibers in abundance. These fibers rich source of natural fibers the pseudostem
are obtained after the fruit is harvested and can be profitably utilized for numerous
fall in the group of bast fibers. After the fruit applications and preparation of various
production, the trunk of the banana plant i.e. products.

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Volume 9, Issue 2, Spring 2015
 layer including the epidermis, contain the
bundles of fiber dispersed in a soft tissue
matrix. The middle layer consists of water
transporting fiber vascular tissue and the
inner layer consists of soft, cellular tissue.
The quantity of fiber in each sheath depends
upon its width and its location in the stem, as
does its quality. In addition to fruit
production, huge quantity of biomass
(pseudostem, leaves, suckers etc.) is
generated [1,2].

Figure 1. Growth % of Banana in the

world

2. BIO FIBERS
Lignocellulosic are used for various
applications, depending on their composition
and physical properties. Recently, natural
cellulose fibers suitable for textile and other
industrial applications have been produced
from corn husks and corn stalk. Use of Figure 2. Pseudostem cross sectional view
lignocellulosic to produce ethanol and other
sugars can possible by fermentation. Presently, this biomass is discarded as
Biomasses can also be converted into carbon, waste. In past, some researchers have
hydrogen and oxygen to produce various successfully demonstrated use of banana
chemicals, enzymes and proteins. It is pseudostem and leaves for extraction of
reasonable to expect that agricultural fibers on a small scale. In India, the fibers are
byproducts will be a major source of being used for preparing handicrafts, ropes
industrial products and chemicals in the near etc., which otherwise can be used for making
future. However, there are a few limitations fabrics, home furnishings and good quality
associated with agro-based fibers that should papers. The major problem of non-adoption
be considered when designing products using of fiber extraction technology is low recovery
bio-fibers. The primary limitation is the of fibers leading to high transport cost. This
relatively higher moisture absorption of plant has long been a good source for high
natural fibers, making it difficult for the quality textiles in many parts of the world,
hydrophobic fibers and hydrophilic polymers especially in Japan and Nepal. [3-5]
to bond together.
All varieties of banana trees abound in 3. BANANA PRODUCTS
fibers. In fact almost each and every part of The stem of the banana plant is usually
the banana plant gives fibers of various thrown away once the plantain is harvested.
strength, color and beauty and staple length The stem forms a major waste material in the
which can be used for various purposes. Out large4 scale and this disposal has become a
of the 14-18 sheaths available in a stem, the huge problem. So form this they started to
outermost 4-6 sheaths yield course fiber, the extract fiber mechanically and used to make
outer 6-8 sheath soft lustrous fiber and the various products. Most of the Banana fibers
rest middle sheath excluding the innermost 4- produced today is used for ropes and cordage.
6 sheaths yield very soft fibers. In each The resistance of the fiber to the sea-water
sheath, there are 3 distinct layers, the outer and its natural buoyancy has created a ready

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Volume 9, Issue 2, Spring 2015
market for it in the manufacture of shipping
cables. It is also widely used for making
power transmission ropes and cordage, wall
drilling cables, fishing nets, lines and other
types of cordage. Although banana plants and
fibers are available in tropical regions in
abundance, their application potential has not
been exploited fully. At present, other
companies make the limited application of
banana fiber, for example, in making ropes,
mats, and some other fields such as the
composite materials. In recent years, more Figure 3. Banana Fiber package
and more plant fibers were considered to be
"environmentally friendly" fiber sources, and
many countries are emphasizing the utilizing
of these fibers. The best thing about these
fabrics is that they are biodegradable, finally
broken down into water and carbon dioxide
by microorganisms in the soil. Innovation
sees no limit and consumers can expect
something big coming up in the textile
industry like fabrics and textiles woven from
fine quality banana fiber. Several studies
carried out on blending revealed that the Figure 4. Banana Fiber mat
studies were carried out on cotton with
various natural and synthetic fibers with a
view to impart value addition. In the present
investigation banana fibers were blended
with cotton and jute fibers to make banana
blended fabrics and further evaluation of the
fabric properties are also carried out. With the
increasing environmental awareness and
growing importance of eco-friendly fabrics,
banana fiber has also been recognized for all
its good qualities and now its application is
increasing in other fields too such as apparel
garments and home furnishings. Figure 5. Banana Sheet
However, in Japan, it is being used for
The fiber portion of the pseudostem
making traditional dresses like kimono, and
left over after extraction of starch was
kamishimo since the Edo period (1600-
utilized for the preparation of paper pulp.
1868). Due to its being lightweight and
Banana fibers are reported to have been spun
comfortable to wear, it is still preferred by
on the jute spinning machinery and used in
people there as summer wear. Banana fiber is
making ropes and sacks. Hand extracted
also used to make fine cushion covers,
fibers have been used to produce handbags
Neckties, bags, table cloths, curtains etc.
and other fancy articles was done first in
Rugs made from banana silk yarn fibers are
Bombay. However, to do any material we
also very popular world over.
have to first know about fiber yield, structure
and properties of banana fibers.
Subsequently, Bhama evaluated yield,
structure and properties of banana fibers

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gathered from a few commercially cultivated breaking [10, 11]. Several products have
varieties and observed that variations exist in been made from banana fibers in the
both structure and properties of fibers from Philippines. Paper board, tissue paper etc.,
different regions along the length and across can be prepared out of banana pseudostem.
the thickness of the pseudostem. They also Banana fibers can be used as natural
reported differences in tensile and structural absorbent, bio remediation agent for
properties among fibers belonging to bacteria in natural water purifier, for
different varieties and showed that the matrix mushroom production, they are also used in
in which the cells are embedded in the fiber making of handicrafts, quality paper cards,
had a role in deciding the tensile strength of tea bags, string thread, high quality fabric
the fiber. Visvesvaraya Industrial Research material, paper for currency notes and good
and Development Centre Mumbai have rope for tying purpose. The banana fibers
carried out a techno economic research study were reported to be elegant and highly
on extraction and utilization of banana stem versatile. As they did not easily crumple,
fiber. According to them, handmade paper these fibers have been used in the
industry can effectively and competitively manufacture of dress materials. The fineness
use banana fiber as its raw material. It has of texture was found to depend on the quality
been stated that banana fibers possess lot of of fibers used. The material had beautiful
advantageous physical and chemical sheen and so has been used to prepare
properties which promotes its use in textile wedding gowns and barongs. When used in
applications. Enzyme application increases layers and flourlike, the fiber made beautiful
tensile energy, extensibility and improves the dresses. Banana fiber dyed from its natural
surface characteristics of the cotton-banana beige to bright colors was used to make chic
union fabric. Detailed study was undertaken blouses and outfits with plenty of ruffles and
to explore the sewability of cotton-banana laces. Napkins and placemats have also been
blended fabrics and it is concluded that they made. The fiber of Cavendish variety has
give higher/better seam pucker but higher been used as a potential source for specialty
bending rigidity than 100% cotton. A wide pulp manufacture. Pulped through sulphate
range of products including bags, basket, process, it has been used as a raw material for
wall hangings, floor mats, home furnishings, the manufacture of good quality wrapping
etc. can be made in banana fiber. The fiber papers. Banana fibers spun with other fibers
extracted by mechanical process is of make excellent ropes suitable for agricultural
superior quality and is extensively used for purposes. Banana fiber being a natural
making high quality special pare and sorbent has high potential in absorbing
decorative papers. Banana fiber is being used spilled oils in refineries. With fairly low
in making socks in European countries. [6-9]. amount of ash and lignin and high amount of
Tenacity of 33 cultivars of banana holocellulose, pseudostem and petioles are
grown in Philippines was reported to range suitable for pulping in paper industry. Banana
from 22.4-44.8 g/tex. Saba cultivar showed and banana pseudostem contains
maximum strength of 22.4g/tex. These values pathogenesis proteins possessing
were lower in comparison with those of antimicrobial properties.
abaca, which were 55.3 g/tex. The percentage In Costa Rica, Industrial production of
elongation of single fiber in tensile testing is paper from banana pseudostem is going on
found to be more than that of the hybrid and a whole range of products labeled Earth
composite. which includes paper, cardboard, notepads,
Therefore, the single composite letter paper, envelopes, post card, packaging
withstands more strain before failure in material and notebooks have been launched.
tensile testing than the hybrid fiber The banana fiber paper is reported to be of
composite. The fiber was extracted by hand high strength and it is used to make tea bags
stripping by using a stripping device applying and currency notes. In Germany, work is in
low pressure to prevent the fibers from

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Volume 9, Issue 2, Spring 2015
progress to develop banana fiber lining for 4. BANANA PACKAGING
car interiors [12-14]. The research examined the green
packaging development from banana fiber
Many applications of banana pseudostem for instant food products. The purposes were
have been enlisted as follows: to construct, approve and develop the sketch
As an eco-friendly substitute in textile design, to develop banana fiber package
industry in place of the environmentally prototypes that protect food products inside,
hazardous synthetic fibers. to eliminate packaging environment
To provide livelihood to the rural poor problems, prevent natural resource and save
through generation of employment in the energy in package processing, and to design
fiber producing and processing industry. packaging for instant banana food products
Being completely biodegradable and such as packages such as stand-up pouch,
naturally occurring, the banana fiber paper box, paper cup, and zip lock paper bag.
products are expected to be in great The research was found that Satisfaction of
demand in the international markets as every factor was good level and every
they pose no toxic effects to man and packaging patterns conformed to the identity
environment. design in structural and graphical packaging.
To make value added products, which As a result of studying structural packaging
would enhance the profitability of factors, it indicated factors that had excellent
banana farming. satisfaction level in every packaging pattern,
To minimize deforestation due to various were packaging with aesthetic and elegant
wood/cellulose processing industries, ones, identity packaging, and souvenir
thus protecting our ecology and packaging.
environment. The development of green packaging
Boxes made from these boards can be from banana fiber for instant food products.
used for transport of fruits and other Variables studied in this issue, packaging
materials. design of green packaging from banana fiber
Thicker varieties of banana paper can be for instant food products of the envelope
used for making files, covers and packing (Stand-up pouch), box (Paper Box), paper
materials [15,16] cups (Paper Cup), paper bags (Zip Lock
Paper Bag). In this research, banana fiber
The present study reports used to produce packaging to select the
development of softening processes for the quality of the physical, chemical and
inherently coarse banana fibers making it consumer product safety. Packaging is
more suitable for spinning operations, recycling-based that is eco-friendly disposal.
spinning of the softened fibers into yarns, [18]
after blending them with suitable natural After completion of product
fibers and testing the physical and development, to find out the results a
mechanical properties of the yarns. The questioner was prepared and the results are
Yarns were further converted to fabrics and found, it was found for each style. Data were
again assessed for their physical and analyzed opinions by the statistical package
mechanical properties. The fabrics were for the social science program and using
further passed through various finishing mean, percentage and standard deviation
processes and then tested for all the 4.50 to 5.00 - very good
mechanical and physical properties. The 3.50 to 4.49 - good
fabrics were further taken for dyeing with 2.50 to 3.49 - medium
two classes of dyes and then assessed for the 1.50 to 2.49 - less
various fastness properties [17] 1 to 1.49 least

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Packaging from banana fiber for instant food CONCLUSION
products as envelope style, the result Banana is cultivated in about 2, 30,000
obtained was 4.10 (mean), 0.48 (S.D) good hectares of land and the fiber yield is around
8.7 lakh toned. Though banana fiber
Packaging from banana fiber for instant food extraction is not done on any large scale at
products as box style, the result obtained was present, banana fibers are reported to have
4.14(mean), 0.48 (S.D) good been spun on the jute spinning machinery and
used hand bags and other fancy articles.
Packaging from banana fiber for instant food Agro-based bio-fibers have the composition,
products as paper cup style, the result properties and structure that make them
obtained was 4.17 (mean), 0.39 (S.D) good suitable for uses such as composite, textile,
pulp and paper manufacture. In addition, bio-
Packaging from banana fiber for instant food fibers can also be used to produce fuel,
products as zip lock style, the result obtained chemicals, enzymes and food. Byproducts
was 4.27 (mean), 0.40 (S.D) good. produced from the cultivation of corn, wheat,
rice, sorghum, barley, sugarcane, pineapple,
Enzymes are specific in action. banana and coconut are the major sources of
Contrary to inorganic catalysts such as acids, agro-based bio-fibers. Likewise banana fiber
bases, metals, and metal oxides, enzymes are based production processes, structure,
very specific. In other words, each enzyme properties and suitability of these bio-fibers
can breakdown or synthesized one particular are to be identified for various industrial
compound. In some cases, they limited their applications.
actions to specific both in the compound with
which they react. Most proteases, for 5. REFERENCES
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