Abaca

Overview

Abaca is a natural leaf fiber that comes from a relative of the banana tree family native to the Philippines that grows throughout tropical regions. It is also called Manilla hemp, though it is not related to actual hemp.

Abaca is generally considered to be a sustainable, environmentally friendly fiber that can empower communities. It has been identified by the United Nations as a “Future Fiber”. That said, not many standards and certifications are used for abaca, so transparency and doing your own due diligence around environmental and social impact are very important when sourcing. The Rainforest Alliance currently certifies a couple abaca farms, you can see them here.

While it is currently used mostly in paper products, abaca has a long history in textiles. Abaca fabric has a stiff quality and holds it’s structure (it is considered a hard fiber and is comparable in texture to sisal and coir). It has a very long fiber length and is one of the strongest fibers – flexible, durable, and highly resistant to saltwater damage. For these reasons it has been used over time for rope and cording.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, The world’s leading abaca producer is the Philippines. While the crop is also cultivated in other Southeast Asian countries, the second largest producing country is Ecuador, where abaca is grown on large estates and production is increasingly mechanized.  In 2010, the Philippines produced about 57,000 tons of abaca fiber, while Ecuador produced 10,000 tons. World production is valued at around $60 million a year. Almost all abaca produced is exported, mainly to Europe, Japan and the USA. Exports from the Philippines are increasingly in the form of pulp rather than raw fiber.

 

Sustainability Considerations

Environmental benefits

• According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, abaca can benefit the land. Erosion control and biodiversity rehabilitation can be assisted by intercropping abaca in former monoculture plantations and rainforest areas, particularly with coconut palms.
• Planting abaca can also minimize erosion and sedimentation problems in coastal areas which are important breeding places for sea fishes. The water holding capacity of the soil will be improved and floods and landslides will also be prevented.
• Abaca waste materials are used as organic fertilizer.

Social impacts

• Abaca harvesting is labor intensive and is mostly done by hand. In the Philippines, where most abaca comes from, the plant is cultivated on 130,000 ha by some 90,000 small farmers. Production happens mainly on small farms and provides livelihoods to many communities, including indigenous ones.
• According to the International Natural Fiber Organization, the Philippines supplies about 86% of the world’s abaca requirement. The rest is supplied by Ecuador. Being an export oriented industry production and demand is highly affected by the prevailing global economic situation. As an agricultural crop, production is highly susceptible to weather condition. In the Philippines, abaca sector consists mainly of small farm holders. In Ecuador the sector is characterized by large estates. However there is a substantial smallholder co-operative movement of abaca growers too.

 

More Sustainable Options

Rainforest Alliance Certified abaca, you can find certified farms here.

 

How It’s Made 

You can see a video of abaca fiber extraction by hand in the Philippines here or by machine (a decorticator) in Costa Rica here.

 

Available Standards & Certifications

The Rainforest Alliance Certified™ Seal | The Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture Standard is used to certify farms and producer groups involved in crop and cattle production. The standard is a rigorous set of environmental, social, and economic criteria that promote sustainability on farms around the world. Rainforest Alliance-authorized certification bodies audit farms and farm groups, and those farms that meet the certification requirements earn the right to promote their achievement and market their products using the Rainforest Alliance Certified™ seal.

 

Organizations & Working Groups

United Nations Future Fibers | 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 fiber markets. The hard fibers: Abaca, Coir and Sisal, and bast fibers: Jute and Kenaf, are all natural fibers which have various and multiple end uses. Their versatility and environmentally friendly characteristics are strong advantages over synthetic alternatives. Each of the fibers has their particular strengths but all have the benefit of being naturally derived and increasingly recognized as a sustainable choice.

 

Other Resources

A great resource is the “Abaca Sustainability Manual” created by the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority for farmers and producers.

 

Bibliography

• Textiles textbook By Sara Kadolph