On earth, there is simply a huge number of plants of various species. Some of them are used by humans in food. Others serve as decoration for homes and suburban areas. In this article we will talk about what spinning plants are. You can already guess from the name that these are representatives of the flora used for the manufacture of fabrics.
Key Features
In fact, there are many spinning plants in nature - more than 600 species. However, only fine and delicate fibers are used for the manufacture of clothing. And there are not so many such varieties on the planet - about 20.
The main distinguishing feature of all spinning plants is the presence of vegetative and generative organs containing fiber and fat. There are the following three main groups into which spinning crops are divided (a list of plants and their characteristics are given below):
- Bast fiber. In these representatives of the fauna, the fiber is located inside the stem and represents strongly elongated cells collected in bundles. This group includes, for example, plants such as flax, kenaf, jute.
- Seed fibrous spinning crops. In this case, the fiber is elongated (20-50 mm) seed cells. This group includes the well-known cotton.
- Fibrous. In such plants, long cells are in the leaves (New Zealand flax, textile banana, sisal).
The presence of fibrous cells is the only characteristic by which spinning plants can be combined into a large group. Otherwise, these are completely different from each other representatives of the flora, belonging to different classes, species and subspecies.
Representatives of the flax family
Next, we consider what characteristics distinguish some of the most famous spinning plants. And start with flax. The genus Linum includes more than 200 representatives. However, in culture only one species is cultivated - ordinary flax, which includes five subspecies. In Russia, the Eurasian longhorn is grown. It gives the longest and most valuable fiber. Other varieties of long-stemmed plants are cultivated in our country as oil plants.
How to make linen cloth?
So, all spinning cultivated plants, examples of which will be given below, are used for the manufacture of a variety of textile things. The same goes for flax. To obtain threads, its stems are soaked in water for a long time - before decomposition begins. The remaining long fibers are weaved and put into fabric production . Linen clothes are more pleasant to the touch than cotton, common today, it is more durable. However, it is rather difficult to make fabric from such threads, because they are very easily torn. Today, Ireland is the largest producer of spinning flax and fabrics.
Cotton: biological features
Flax is far from the only variety used to make fibers on fabric. Other cultivated plants are cultivated in our country, including spinning plants. The most common is cotton. Moreover, today it is the main spinning culture in our country and around the world. This popularity is explained by the ease of fiber production, its high yield and high yield of the plant itself. This culture belongs to the family of malvaceae. An adult plant can reach a height of more than 180 cm. The fruit branches of raw cotton develop in the upper part of the stem and depart from it at an obtuse angle. Flowers grow on them, giving subsequently the fruits of the "box". The latter have a rounded ovoid shape and burst at the seams when ripe. In this case, cotton becomes visible - long fibers covering the seeds of the plant.
Harvesting this crop can be done both manually and mechanized methods. In the latter case, leaves are previously removed from the plants with chemicals.
Hemp
There are other popular spinning plants. Hemp is one of them. This culture belongs to the family of heteroecious dioecious. Male and female plants differ in the structure of generative organs and flowers. In addition, the latter have a longer vegetative period.
Like flax and cotton, hemp is grown on fiber and on oil. The first is obtained from the stems, the second - from the seeds. Fibers are used for the manufacture of fabrics intended for sewing rough working clothes, weaving ropes, etc. Varnishes and paints are made from hemp oil.
Today, only two spinning cultures of this variety are most common. For the production of fabrics and oils, hemp is used. The hash variety is grown in some Asian countries in order to get narcotic substances from the leaves.
Harvesting hemp on green leaves begins with the mass flowering of male plants. In women, this process begins somewhat later. The collected stems are sorted by length and thickness and sent to soak, usually in specially designed open ponds. The duration of this procedure is directly dependent on the water temperature. In warm soaking lasts about a week, in cold - in the fall - up to two to three weeks.
As with flax, hemp fibers after softening the tissues separate very easily. But it is impossible to overexpose stems in water. Bending significantly reduces the quality of the resulting material.
Kenaf
There are also lesser known spinning crops. Examples of such varieties are kenaf and jute. The first fiber is mainly used for making bags and ropes. In the past, the fibers of this plant, as well as finished products from them, were imported to us in Russia mainly from India. At the moment, this culture is quite successfully grown, including in the farms of Uzbekistan. The value of kenaf fabric lies mainly in the fact that bags can be sewn from it, ideally suited for storing and transporting sugar. Of course, hemp can be used for this purpose. However, the inconvenience in this case lies primarily in the fact that microscopic particles are separated from the threads of such bags. It is simply impossible to subsequently remove them from sugar. A similar phenomenon is not observed in kenaf bags. The fiber obtained from this plant is not only flexible and durable, but also hygroscopic. Sew from kenaf fabrics not only bags. The threads woven from the fibers of this culture also go to the manufacture of ropes, ropes, twines and tarpaulins. In some countries, paper pulp is also produced from it.
Kenaf, like cotton, belongs to the family of malvaceae. The height of an adult plant can reach 1-5 m, and its roots go into the ground by 2 m. Kenaf harvesting begins after one or two lower bolls with seeds have been drilled. Harvesting is done using header machines. Mowed stems are left to dry for several days right in the field. Then they are collected and tied in sheaves. Next, drying is carried out in special wort. At the next stage, the sheaves are threshed. The resulting seeds are cleaned and sorted, and the sheaves are sent to bakeries.
Jute
This is another plant whose fibers are very often used to make bags for sugar, flour and other bulk products. In terms of performance, jute fabric even surpasses kenaf fabric. Sometimes even velvet and furniture fabrics are made from it. Among other things, jute goes to the manufacture of ropes, twines and ropes. Very often this fiber is used for caulking of chopped buildings. Technical oil is obtained from the seeds of this culture. They are also used as a medicine designed to cure heart disease.
Jute is grown mainly in the tropical zone of Asia, that is, in countries such as India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Taiwan. There are plantations of this culture also in Africa and America. Only two varieties of jute are distinguished by industrial value - long-fruited and large-fruited.
The ripeness of the plant occurs when the first seed box appears on it. Harvesting of this plant on fiber is carried out after more than half of the plants enter this phase. The primary processing of the stems is carried out in exactly the same way as the kenaf. These are actually very similar bast-fiber spinning plants. And although today they are not as common as in the past, growing them, of course, seems to be more than advisable.
Ramie
Grassy spinning plants are also very interesting. The names of this variety are Chinese nettle and ramie. The main distinguishing feature of the fibers obtained from this plant is that they practically do not rot. In the past, they were usually used to make quality canvas. Today, very durable ropes with a long service life are most often made from ramie fibers. Sew from nettles and clothes. However, in this case, the rami fibers are usually mixed with cotton fibers or with wool. At the same time, very strong, well-kept, wear-resistant things are obtained.
The height of adult plants of Chinese nettles can reach two meters. Unlike the variety that grows here in Russia, its stems do not burn at all. This plant is very unpretentious and is capable of producing two crops a year. Currently, this culture is cultivated in countries such as Brazil, Thailand, India, the Philippines, South Korea.
Spinning crops: list of plants
So, such representatives of the fauna as flax, jute, cotton, kenaf, nettle belong to the spinning. What other known varieties exist? In addition to the above, this group also includes pineapple, kendyr, manila and many others.
Spinning plants, the list of which is given above, are certainly the most valuable raw material for the production of fabrics. Cotton and linen clothes are currently very much appreciated as absolutely environmentally friendly. Many areas of the national economy are unlikely to do without ropes, tarpaulin, and bags.