It is an herbaceous perennial growing to 1.0–2.5 m (3 ft 3 in – 8 ft 2 in) tall;[1] the leaves are heart-shaped, 7–15 cm (2.8–5.9 in) long and 6–12 cm (2.4–4.7 in) broad, and white on the underside with dense, small hairs—this gives it a silvery appearance; unlike stinging nettles, the hairs do not sting.

[citation needed] It has smaller leaves which are green on the underside, and it appears to be better suited to tropical conditions.

Second, the cortex is scraped to remove most of the outer bark, the parenchyma in the bast layer and some of the gums and pectins.

Ramie was used to produce an open-weave fabric called mechera, used for shirts and dressing gowns suitable for warm climates.

Since then, production has steadily declined as a result of competition from alternative crops, such as soybeans, and from synthetic fibers.

Ramie fiber is known especially for its ability to hold shape, reduce wrinkling, and introduce a silky lustre to the fabric appearance.

Because of its high molecular crystallinity, ramie is stiff and brittle and will break if folded repeatedly in the same place; it lacks resiliency and is low in elasticity and elongation potential.

The fiber's extraction and cleaning are expensive, chiefly because of the several steps—involving scraping, pounding, heating, washing, or exposure to chemicals.

Greater utilization of ramie may depend upon development of improved processing methods and the need to find plastic alternatives.

[9] Ramie is used to make such products as industrial sewing thread, packing materials, fishing nets, and filter cloths.

For the 2010 Prius, Toyota began using plant-derived plastics made from the cellulose in wood or grass instead of petroleum.

In Vietnam, ramie leaves are a main ingredient in making a Vietnamese glutinous rice cake called bánh gai (thorn leaf cake) or bánh gai Tứ Trụ in Thanh Hóa province.

[10][11][12] In the Chinese Hakka community, ramie leaves are a main ingredient in making pancake-like dumplings with glutinous rice powder, sugar and water.