KENAF AND BIO SEQUESTRATION
I began working this project by exploring different indigenous plant around me from which i can make surfaces using the paper making techniques. But I ended up finding this amazing magical plant in backyard called KENAF.
KENAF (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) is a fibre plant native to east-central Africa where it has been grown for several thousand years for food and fibre. It is a common wild plant of tropical and subtropical Africa and Asia. It has been a source of textile fibre for such products as rope, twine, bagging and rugs. Kenaf is a promising source of raw material fibre for pulp, paper and other fibre products, and has been introduced since WWII in China, USSR, Thailand, South Africa, Egypt, Mexico and Cuba.
Unfortunately in India despite the plentiful availability of Kenaf, it is not used as a raw material for textiles or any other industry. Here i have tried to create surfaces from kenaf fibre using paper making technique.
The process was time consuming and required a lot of conditions such as warm consistent temperature and space.
The resultant surface was fibrous and soft. I made them in 3 different thickness. The medium one was strong and soft. The thinner one was soft but fragile and the most thick one broke into pieces and disintegrated as it could not stay together.
I believe the resultant material can be used in packaging to protect the materials inside like a bubblewrap.
What is Bio sequestration?
Bio sequestration is the process of capturing and storing carbon in living organisms such as plants and algae. It is not a new process, but a process that was responsible for the formation of the extensive coal and oil deposits which are now being burned.
Kenaf is an excellent source of this process.Hence i used the pulp to make seed bards which nourishes the seed while protecting it. This can be used for packaging, storage and transportation of seeds.
