A trend in the world of fashion is clothing made from natural materials. More and more people prefer products made on the basis of natural fabrics. One of the proofs of this statement is the huge success of the corporation of fashion Nove, which became famous for the fact that since 2010 began to make a variety of clothes from nettles. Buyers of such products appreciated not only the originality of the materials used, but also the high quality of the fabric. In addition, such clothing has a healing effect due to the beneficial properties of the plant used for its manufacture. In our article we will talk about what a ramie fabric is, what are its features and advantages.
Ramie plant
A plant like ramie belongs to the nettle family. Under natural conditions, shrubs grow on roadsides in China and Japan. For the manufacture of clothing, two types of ramie are used (the scientific name is biomeria): green and snow-white. People in ancient times learned to process this culture, using it in spinning skills. Snow-white Rami reaches 1 meter in height, unpretentious to external factors (temperature, humidity). The plant is quite resistant to small frosts, but such a factor will negatively affect the quality of the fibers. It is cultivated in the countries of East Asia, in particular China, Korea, Japan, India, Pakistan.
Growing
Rami is home to China. It is in this country that people from ancient times began to purposefully grow this plant as a spinning crop. A little later, cultivation of such a plant began to be engaged in in Bavaria, Belgium, Algeria, Mexico, Brazil, America (in the state of Louisiana), and Thailand. In our country in the 1990s, an attempt was made to grow ramie on the Black Sea coast, but the idea did not justify itself. Difficulties in processing ramie, lack of sales market have led to the fact that today this culture in our country is grown only in small quantities.
Chinese nettle harvest
First of all, in order to get high-quality ramie fabric, it is necessary to properly harvest Chinese nettles. Such a process should be carried out when the growth of the plant is slowed down and the color of the stem changes from green to brown. If the ramie is assembled earlier, the fibers will be fragile. A fabric from such a material will turn out to be of poor quality, without a characteristic sheen, with a disturbed structure. If the grass is harvested later than necessary, it will be almost impossible to separate the fibers from the stem. This will lead to loss of time and volume of the finished material, as well as increase material costs.
Since ramie is a perennial plant, its harvest is collected 2-4 times a year, depending on external conditions.
Fiber manufacturing
Just a few decades ago, Chinese nettle fiber was made exclusively by hand. And today, in some Asian villages, craftsmen process rams without the use of chemicals and mechanized apparatuses. The biggest difficulty in making Chinese nettle tissue is to separate the fibers from the stem. Such manual labor requires a lot of physical effort and time.
After the creation of special mechanisms “Favier” and “Fora”, designed to separate the fibers from the stems of the plant, the process of processing ramie has become much faster and easier. Nevertheless, after separation of the fibers, their lengthy drying is required. This process on average takes from 3 to 7 days, depending on external conditions. Sometimes manufacturers of clothing made from natural material do not pay enough attention to the drying process of fibers, which leads to a significant deterioration in the quality of raw materials and, as a result, to a negative impact on the finished product. In addition, another difficulty in processing this plant is the elimination of the stickiness and stiffness of the fibers. For this, various chemicals are used.
The manufacturing process of ramie fiber consists of two stages. The first is the primary treatment of the stem of the plant. Such a process involves directly separating the threads, their subsequent drying and winding into rolls. The second stage is weaving, that is, the manufacture of matter from the resulting fibers. Thus, the fabric of Chinese nettle is a long and laborious process. These factors directly affect the cost of such material and, as a consequence, the price of the finished product. Therefore, such a nettle fabric has not yet gained much popularity in Europe.
History of Ramie Clothing
As mentioned above, the ramie plant was used in spinning craftsmanship in ancient times. People not only appreciated the unique properties of natural raw materials, but also noticed the healing effect of clothing made from a material such as ramie fabric. Therefore, things from Chinese nettles were sewed to order for the imperial family and the immediate environment. Such clothes were distinguished by elegant shine, lightness. Soft fabric was made exclusively by hand. But for commoners, damaged, improperly assembled fibers, hastily woven fabrics were used. From such raw materials, clothes of a rough style were obtained.
Today, even with improper processing of such delicate material as Chinese nettle, low-quality fabrics are obtained. That is why modern connoisseurs of Rami clothing prefer to purchase raw materials in China or India - these countries have centuries of experience in processing plants and making high-quality products from its fibers.
Travelers brought white Rami to European countries. As historical facts indicate, Queen Elizabeth I praised the fabric brought from distant lands. They say that even the bed of this noble person was made of nettles. In addition, materials of similar characteristics were brought to the Netherlands from the Java peninsula - this fabric was called batiste.
In the XIX century, began to cultivate the plant in European countries. In some areas, the production of fabric from ramie fibers was established.
In Russia, they spun from various herbs, including nettles. But such a plant as ramie does not grow in this territory, so this raw material has not gained wide popularity. Nevertheless, the indicated plant is still cultivated in the Caucasus.
Rami in modern clothing production
Today, ramie fabric is again becoming popular all over the world. Famous fashion designers make clothes from such material for world shows. Brands such as Twenty & Twelve, Burberry, Lanvin make things out of Chinese nettle fiber. Some brands prefer combination materials, others sew things with 100% content of such natural raw materials. Consumers who appreciate the high quality and safety of natural materials note the durability of the ramie fabric, as well as such characteristic properties as silky sheen, weightlessness, and the ability to keep cool.
In Korea, there is still a long tradition of holding a Chinese nettle fabric festival. It usually takes place in mid-June. As part of such a festive event, several days in a row shows are made of clothing made from Chinese nettles. Everyone can demonstrate their skill in making various souvenirs from ramie. In addition, guests are treated with dishes, the preparation of which uses this plant.
Fabric Properties: Benefits
In terms of external characteristics, ramie is similar to such a natural fabric as linen. But studies have shown that nettle material is 7 times stronger. In addition, such a fabric is moisture resistant. Therefore, ropes and sails were first made from the fibers of this plant, and only later they began to sew clothes from this raw material. In addition, high-quality fabric from this plant is characterized by airiness, a beautiful, silky sheen. These characteristics, of course, are the advantages of such a natural material as ramie (fabric). The properties of Chinese nettle filaments make it possible to make things of various densities: marine ropes, ropes are made from such raw materials, paper and even notes are sewn, towels and bed linen are sewn, and everyday and festive clothes are created.
In addition, we also point out such an advantage of ramie fibers as ease of dyeing. After drying, the plants become white. This allows for high-quality, without the use of additional chemicals, repainting.
The nettle fabric practically does not rot, which significantly extends its useful life. Also note that such material does not shrink after washing, preserving its color for a long time.
Chinese nettle fabric flaws
But we can note the disadvantages of such a material as ramie fabric. First of all, we indicate such a property as brittleness, the appearance of faults at the bend, and the lack of elasticity. In addition, such a fabric is easily wrinkled, which causes a lot of inconvenience to owners of clothes made of this material. But modern manufacturers eliminate such shortcomings by adding the necessary components to the fabric.
Rami: material composition
Modern manufacturers, given the characteristic properties of raw materials, practically do not produce products consisting exclusively of ramie fibers. After all, such clothes are rough, quickly wearing out. Therefore, to eliminate such shortcomings, wool, cotton or linen are added to the fibers of Chinese nettles (depending on the purpose of the finished product). Thus, the combined composition of the ramie fabric is obtained. What does it give? Clothing made of this material is wear-resistant, breathable (less breathable), less wrinkled and brittle, while retaining its characteristic beautiful shine and structure.
Note that many jeans manufacturers are increasingly adding Chinese nettle fiber to denim. This results in a soft tissue that can pass air. Consumers have appreciated such a novelty in the jeans market and are increasingly choosing this natural material.
Ramie clothing manufacturers
Today, many popular brands - clothing manufacturers produce products made on the basis of such raw materials as Chinese nettle. In particular, such world brands as Zara, Mango, Collins produce clothes from a combined material, which includes fibers of Chinese nettle. So, these brands of clothing are made jeans, business suits, blouses and shirts, trousers and skirts from such a fabric. These products are very successful in the global market. Therefore, companies continue to expand such production and increase supply volumes.
In addition, manufacturers of products for pregnant women and children are increasingly opting for raw materials such as ramie. In addition to the unique external properties, clothing made from natural fabrics, according to studies, helps to normalize blood pressure, blood flow, and eliminate headaches. It is also important to note that this tissue is hypoallergenic. That is why clothes made of such material are recommended to be worn by people prone to skin reactions, as well as future mothers and babies.
Fabric care
Ramie clothes do not require any special care. Products made entirely of the fiber of such a plant should be washed by hand. This method eliminates the formation of creases of the material. You can also use the washing machine, pre-setting the program "Delicate clothes" or "Silk". Water temperature should not exceed 40 degrees. For washing, you can use special powders and conditioners for silk. It is better to squeeze clothes from such fabric manually or at low speeds of the washing machine.
Drying is recommended so that the material does not undergo a sharp bend. In this case, the thing may deteriorate due to the formation of a tissue fracture. In addition, traces of clothespins that may be difficult to smooth out may remain on this material. Therefore, it is better to hang clothes from ramie freely on a wide bar.
Clothing made from natural fabrics (in particular, ramie) is ironed at high temperature. At low it will be quite difficult to achieve the desired result. In addition, it is most effective to iron even wet clothes from the ramie.
Does it have other ramie components? How to wash combination materials? In this case, follow the instructions on the label. So, if the composition includes wool or cotton, the product should be washed at a temperature of 30 degrees. It is recommended to iron such materials from the wrong side or through a cotton cloth. It should also be remembered that cotton shrinks after washing. Therefore, drying such a fabric in a washing machine is not recommended.
Chinese nettle fabric reviews
Of course, it is difficult to find a consumer who does not appreciate the beauty and unique properties of clothes made from such a natural fabric. Nevertheless, in European countries, as well as on the territory of the Russian Federation, Rami material is not widely used. This is primarily due to the high cost of such products. While such common materials as flax and cotton, having properties similar to those of the ram, are much more accessible for domestic and European consumers.
Despite this, the owners of clothes made of a material such as ramie fabric testify to the high wear resistance of things. In addition, such properties as softness, weightlessness are noted. Also, consumer reviews indicate that the material is pleasant to the touch, and the unusual luster gives clothes made from ramie nobleness, high cost.
Thus, natural nettle material from China has unique properties that are the driving force that directs global companies to expand the production of ramie fabrics.