The relevance of natural fibres has increased due to the growing environmental concerns and the depletion of petroleum supplies, which has encouraged researchers and businesses to utilise sustainable fibres rather than traditional synthetic ones. The use of
natural fibres in a wide range of textile and non-textile applications, such as clothing and reinforced composite products in different industries, such as the automotive, building, and furniture, is made possible by their exceptionally brilliant mechanical and physical properties. Composite materials made of reinforcing fibres obtained from renewable and carbon dioxide-neutral resources, such as wood or plants, are known as natural fibre composites.
In items that are moulded and need to work satisfactorily in a range of indoor and outdoor situations, NFCs are used. Due to the quick transition away from mineral- and oil-based reinforced materials, the packaging and automobile industries have been urged to start utilising natural fibre composites in their designs. As a result,
natural fibre composites that are
eco-friendly and energy-efficient are replacing conventional materials including metals, polymeric resins, and reinforcing fibres. The need for green products and, consequently, sustainable alternatives, has increased as a result of factors such as the world's diminishing petroleum reserves, soaring petroleum prices, high disposal costs of petroleum-based composites, and the difficulty of some petroleum-based composites to disintegrate. Natural materials, on the other hand, are more reasonably priced, renewable, biodegradable, and environmentally friendly than those made of petroleum.
Since the beginning of time, it has been widely documented that natural fibres are essential for meeting the basic needs of humans, including clothing and shelter. However, the popularity and use of natural fibres declined after the invention of synthetic fibres in the 1900s. However, the global need for environmentally friendly and sustainable methods in the textile supply chain as well as the depletion of petroleum resources have encouraged the use of natural fibres, which have replaced synthetic fibres with
long-lasting natural fibres. Natural fibres are used by the textile industry owing to the following benefits they offer.
Non usage of Pesticides & Chemicals
With the exception of cases when fertilisers,
pesticides, and other toxic chemicals are heavily utilised to stimulate their production, natural fibres are cultivated without the usage of pesticides or other dangerous chemicals and have no negative environmental effects. Due to the negative environmental effects of synthetic fibres and their fossil fuel-based production, researchers, engineers, and industrial groups are urged to investigate innovative and creative techniques for the growth, development, cultivation, and usage of natural fibres in an environmentally friendly manner. Cotton dominates the textile industry in terms of market share. Due to its heavy reliance on water, pesticides, fertilisers, and harmful chemicals—all of which have a detrimental effect on the environment and the economy—cotton cannot be designated as a sustainable fibre. Along with linen, hemp, flax, jute, and bamboo, resource-efficient fibres like these are replacing cotton in a variety of textile applications.
Affordability, recyclability, & nontoxicity
Textile designers are becoming more interested in using linen to create garments, footwear, and purses. Hemp and jute are fibres that resemble rope and are coarser than linen. They are frequently chosen for clothing and accessories that call for a rugged texture and durability. A multicellular fibre made from plants, jute is distinguished by nodes and cross markings in the longitudinal view and polygon patterns in the cross-section. Flax is a crystalline cellulosic fibre with a length of 90 cm and a diameter of 12 to 16 m. Most flax is grown in Canada, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. The fibre comes from the stem of the plant Linum usitatissimum.
Natural fibres are widely used in a variety of textile applications due to their outstanding mechanical and physical qualities, which include strong specific modulus, low density, toughness, affordability, recyclability, and nontoxicity. Natural fibres are used in a variety of industries, including the textile and fashion sectors as well as the building, furniture, and automobile sectors. For the creation of polymer composites, a wide range of natural fibres, including jute, hemp, kenaf, ramie, flax, sisal, bamboo, coir, oil palm, etc., are employed because of their biodegradability, high performance profile, sustainable features, lightweight nature, and economic feasibility.
Low weight, superior crash absorption, and sound insulation qualities
Natural fibres are a great option for the automotive and aerospace industries because of their low weight, superior crash absorption, and sound insulation qualities. Due to their hydrophilic nature, which necessitates chemical treatment to improve their moisture-related qualities, natural fibres are only used in interior structures. Natural fibres' innate ability to absorb moisture when exposed to a range of temperatures and humidity levels poses a significant obstacle to their use in various environmental settings.
Composite materials made of reinforcing fibres obtained from renewable and carbon dioxide-neutral resources, such as wood or plants, are known as natural fibre composites. NFCs are used in moulded products that require a moderate level of strength for satisfactory performance, such as large diameter pipework, equipment housings, and roofing for affordable or low-cost housing. Natural fibre composites are classic instances of sustainable resources for industrial applications since synthetic materials have been replaced with bio-based and renewable sources. The materials have the potential to significantly reduce carbon footprints, can be grown in controlled environments or farms, and have comparable structural qualities at a lower cost. Comparing natural fibre composites to their synthetic counterparts, there are various environmental advantages.
