Banana paper

[1] These qualities are due to the cellular composition of banana fiber, which consists of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin.

[3] The earliest evidence of the use of banana stems as a source of fiber dates back to 13th century Japan.

However, its popularity declined with the upsurge of silk and cotton fibers imported from China and India.

[4] Banana paper was first patented in the United States on March 16, 1912, by Charles M. Taylor and Howard Kay Cook.

[5] Raw banana paper has a coarse surface due to the presence of hemicellulose, lignin, and other waxy components in the fiber.

The fiber from the banana is removed and washed in order to eliminate natural resins that can decrease the strength and durability of the paper.

If the scrapped stems and trunks are utilized, this can lead to a decrease in synthetic fiber production.

Banana paper reduces pollution by having lower disposal costs and less agricultural waste enter landfills and rivers.

The expanding banana paper market is further supported by its low production cost.

Factors contributing to the low production cost include relatively inexpensive banana fiber extraction machinery and ease of operation of these machines by unskilled workers.