Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-14
NEW CLOTH FIBER
BY FREDERIC ). HAskIN

, arc just double what they were a, tho
beginning Of the war. az annoying fac
tor I" American manufacturers who
yearly import over s1oOoo0O worth
OF the raw jute fiber. Hemp. which
was formerly used In great quantities,
rs now little grown and almost an un-
known product in the modern textile
factory.
HnssiR Great Flnx-Grouer.
Russia is the greatest flax-Erower.
supplying four-fifths OF the flax OF the
world Austria-Hungary, France. Ire.
land. Belgium and Holland are also
large producers Of the raw product,
while France and lrc'Nnd compete in
/ Or spindles. All manufacture OF linen
mas been seriously hampercd by the
war, which has served to bottle IN
Russias flaH crop as completely az
! ~ did her wheat. While the best
linens come from France and ireland
these countries arc also dependent on
others for the ma ority OF the raw
product. Hence the price OF linen is
soaring. In the United state. We have
100000 acres planted in seed flax.
but only 1000 acres in fibre flax the
seed flaa evidently proving more pro-
niable
There arc several tropical fabric.
which may he drawn upon by American
textile manufacturers in case market
conditions are not bettcred in the
.
pinos make an attractive fabric known
as pima cloth out OF pinapple hber The
pineapple leaf. from four to six feet
! long. Is laid out on n board and scraped
with piece Of bone, until the pulp
I Is removed and nothing remains but
the iiber. The tiber is then placed in
bag Of mortar and beaten vigorously
with pestlc, after which II is washed
ana comhed out and hung up on the
wall TO dry. a Filipino woman. seated
on the Moor, ties hbers together. end
TO end This product is manufactured
either III the philippines or Japan into
/ light. gauzy dress goods especially
adapted for tropical clothing and worn
extensively BY the Filipino woman
Ahaca. another tropical product
commonly known ,s Manila hemp. Is a
| large plant somewhat resembling the
! banana tree, which grows in regular
I forests twenty TO thirty feet high. The
! hher is found in The trunk and pre-
! pared III practically the same fashion
As the pineapple hher. then exported 10
Japan and the United Safes. where II is
| Is braided into hats known in this
| country as hemp hats. ..baca braid is
| sold 10 manufacturers in this country
, at 80 cents per eighty Yards not in
! Guiding the duty. which is - ccnt'.
! The American woman OF fashion often
! pays Sl5 for hat made OF this identical
! braid, which cost the manufacturer a
1 llttlc over 30 cents. Inc abacd hber
4, is also woven into cloth rarely seen in
4 this country
F! Labor Is t:rent Handicap.
/ Many possibilities have occurred to
American textile manufacturers as sub
/ stitues for various fabrics now COM
mandinG prohihitive prices and fast be-
coming scarce, but there is always the
, handicap OF labor. For example. rumor
has IL that tho Austrians arc using
! nettles for bed linen: the Germans are
reported to be using the fiber Of va
, riety Of willow rose as Il substitute for
/ lutte: hops arc being manufactured into
dress goods and in the tropics the COCO
nut hocr is employed in making shoes.
south America is establishing expert
mental stations for the testing OF
rious jungle fibers Altogether, with
the aid OF modern machinery, the seven
modern fabrics may soon become
things Of the past and our future raj
ment may be made out of pineapples
and cOconuts.