Facile Ecofriendly Process for Sisal Fibre Extraction (original) (raw)

Fibre extraction and its allied activities like processing and making value added products are proven sources of employment and income generation. However, use of Sisal (Agave sisalana) fibre is limited to making twine, rope and cordage, handicrafts and to some extent used in low-cost paper, dartboards, buffing cloth, mattresses, etc. owing to cumbersome extraction method though it can be extensively applied to high-end industrial products like corrugated polyester sheets, fabrics, speciality paper, filters, geotextiles, wall coverings, etc. Conventionally, Sisal fiber is extracted by decorticator, which apart from being highly unsafe does not provide good quality fibers. The mechanical process also results in considerable damage to the fibre and consequent low yield. Extracting fibre through retting of sisal leaves is time consuming, water intensive, unhygienic and eco-unfriendly. Chemical methods used worldwide are also not conducive as the large amount of chemical used for pretreatment are unsafe to the environment, thus have the problem of disposal. In view of all these facts, an easy and eco-friendly method has been developed for Sisal fiber extraction through biological pre-treatment of leaves. The paper discusses about a simplistic and ecofriendly process for good quality fibre from Sisal Leaves.