Brazilian native flora and its potential for textile application

Abstract

Due to increased concern about sustainability, natural fibres have returned to play an important role as an alternative to man-made fibres in several applications. Thousands of plant species around the world can be used as source fibres. Brazil is among the most biologically diverse countries on Earth and its flora represents a potential font for those resources. However, its knowledge and applicability still remain unknown. This paper provides the results of a survey, by a systematized literary review, of less-common Brazil- in fibrous plants with potential textile application. Almost 170 native fibrous species were identified. The species were classified according to their geographical distribution, vegetation type, and fiber type. Based on a qualitative assessment, we selected the top 45 most relevant plants. Those results reaffirm the high potential of Brazilian flora as a source of textile fibres and reveal the feasibility of conducting experimental studies with several species.