Some studies on Abelmoschus esculentus (Indian Okra) fiber characteristics

Abstract

Okra fiber is the bast fiber, extracted from the stem of the Abelmoschus esculentus plant which belongs to the Malvaceae family. In the whole world, India is the largest producer of okra for the cultivation of “okra fruit”, which is one of the main vegetables in the Indian Diet. After collecting vegetables, a huge amount of okra plant stem is discarded on the field annually as agricultural waste. Okra stem is an abundant source of okra fiber which can be used for various textile applications. This study aims understand the basic morphological, thermal and structural characteristics of okra fibre and compare it with other bast fibres generally used for textile application to prove the suitability of okra fibre for textile application.