Stringent environmental legislation and consumer awareness are driving the transition to a bio-based economy and models of sustainable development which offer high perspectives for natural fibre markets. Stringent environmental legislation and consumer awareness are driving the transition to a bio-based economy and models of sustainable development which offer high perspectives for natural fibre markets. Moving to a bio-based economy requires substitution of many common raw materials that are currently largely produced from fossil (petrochemical) or mineral resources, with products produced from renewable (plant and animal based) resources.

1. Stringent environmental legislation and consumer awareness are driving the
transition to a bio-based economy and models of sustainable development
which offer high perspectives for natural fibre markets.

2. Stringent environmental legislation and consumer awareness are driving the transition to a
bio-based economy and models of sustainable development which offer high perspectives for
natural fibre markets. Moving to a bio-based economy requires substitution of many common
raw materials that are currently largely produced from fossil (petrochemical) or mineral
resources, with products produced from renewable (plant and animal based) resources.
Substitute to synthetics
Natural fibres are increasingly being recognized as a favorable substitute to synthetics which
use
unsustainable inputs. Aside from technical and cost advantages, such products have the added
attraction of meeting growing consumer awareness with respect to environmental,
sustainability and social standards contributing to:
• Encouraging the growth of sustainable agriculture
• Uptake of environmentally friendly production and processing technologies
• Fostering economic development
• Strengthening the participation of smallholders in the value chain

3. The hard fibres: Acaba, Coir and Sisal, and bast fibres: Jute and Kenaf, are all natural fibres
which have various and multiple end uses. Their versatility and environmentally friendly
characteristics are strong advantages over synthetic alternatives. Each of the fibres has
their particular strengths but all have the benefit of being naturally derived and
increasingly recognised as a sustainable choice.
Technical and economic benefits
Research is increasingly demonstrating the technical and economic benefits of including
natural
components in industrial products. Therefore, competitive products based on the natural
fibres are being developed that show excellent technical performance and harm the
environment less than current products based on petrochemical materials. Fibre
composites can be found in packaging, building, and furniture materials in addition to the
traditional products such as rope, twine and carpets. The economic value of the fibre crop
depends on its end-use market and costs of production.

4. New opportunities
As the popularity of natural fibres in industrial uses expands there are new opportunities
for hard fibres and jute to reach high end value markets. The scope of possible uses of the
future fibres is enormous. This has been recently highlighted by the declaration of United
Nations for 2009 as International Year of
Natural Fibres (IYNF).