Urena

Description

A Bast fiber obtained from the Urena lobata plant that is native to Brazil, west Africa and Madagascar. Urena was used since prehistoric times. Small amounts of urena have been cultivated as a fiber plant in the tropical regions of Africa since the 1920s. Urena is a white, soft fiber with a natural luster. It is used for inexpensive clothing and sackcloth.

Synonyms and Related Terms

Urena lobata; Congo jute

Physical and Chemical Properties

• Fiber length = 1.2 m

Resources and Citations

• J.Gordon Cook, Handbook of Textile Fibres:I Natural Fibres, Merrow Publishing Co. , Durham, England, 1984

• 20th Century Materials, Testing and Textile Conservation, 9th symposium, Harpers Ferry Regional, 1988

• Identification of Textile Materials, The Textile Institute, Manchester, England, 1985

• Marjory L. Joseph, Introductory Textile Science, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Fort Worth, TX, 1986