NITER-Prabartana Jointly Working on Banana Textile Development Project

The textile industry has an ignominy that it is the most ecologically harmful industry in the world. These eco-problems caused by textile industry occur during some production processes which discharges toxin that swells into our ecosystem. Ecological issues have become an alarming concern especially in textile industry. So scientists are researching to find possible sources of eco-friendly or green textiles which refer to clothing and other accessories that are designed to use organic and recycled materials, with less packaging and more energy-efficient manufacturing system. Banana fibre is a potential source of eco-friendly textiles which is actually a leaf fiber, extracted from pseudo-stem of banana tree. After the fruit has been harvested it is possible to remove the fibre from the plant. This fibre is used for handicraft and art in baskets, carpets and so on. The fiber is also used for the manufacturing of banana paper.

Decorative nets made from banana fibre

Banana is a common fruit in Bangladesh and acres of lands are used to cultivate banana. So Bangladesh has the opportunity to pursue the implicit utility of Banana fibre and products made from banana fibres. To utilize this opportunity ‘National Institute Textile Engineering and Research (NITER)’ an education and research institute jointly working in a project with ‘Prabartana’ a well-known fashion house of Bangladesh. UNIDO is coordinating this NITER-Prabartana cluster project, where NITER is providing technical support like assessing physical and chemical properties of banana fiber, economic process development, product development and diversification, SWOT analysis, market research etc. Lynne Hammond the Manager of International Educational Consultancy of London College of Fashion (LCF) and Tara Baoth Mooney a fashion designer, researcher and sustainable textile expert are also associating this project with their expertise.

These shirts are end products of banana fibre

This project is planned with the principles of the National Performance Cluster (NPC), which is part of an ongoing process that aims to contribute to economic growth and poverty reduction by supporting Bangladesh’s global market opportunities to drive new innovation and improve competitiveness. This NPC Pilot Project will focus on utilizing the available assets in the textile sector in both rural and urban Bangladesh. The aim of this project is to use the expertise of NITER, Prabartana and LCF, to develop three grades of fabric- fine gauge, medium gauge and a strong durable gauge from banana fibre.

Reported by-
Md. Tanvirul Haque Bhuiyan
Reporter of Textile Tribune
Dept. of Apparel Manufacturing, NITER.
Email : mukutex@gmail.com

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