Rami fabric: composition, properties. nettle fabric

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

The trend in the fashion world is clothing made from natural materials. More and more people prefer products made on the basis of natural fabrics. One of the proofs of this statement is the huge success of the Corpo Nove fashion house, which became famous for the fact that since 2010 it began to make a wide variety of clothes from nettles. Buyers of such products appreciated not only the originality of the materials used, but also the high quality of the fabric. In addition, such clothes have a healing effect due to the beneficial properties of the plant used to make them. In our article, we will talk about what ramie fabric is, what are its features and benefits.

Rami Plant

A plant like ramie belongs to the nettle family. Under natural conditions, the shrub grows on roadsides in China and Japan. For the manufacture of clothing, two types of ramie are used (the scientific name is biomeria): green and snow-white. People in ancient times learned to process this culture, using it in spinning skills. ramysnow-white reaches 1 meter in height, unpretentious to external factors (temperature, humidity). The plant is quite resistant to small frosts, but such a factor as a result will negatively affect the quality of the fibers. Cultivated in the countries of East Asia, in particular China, Korea, Japan, India, Pakistan.

Growing

Rami is native to China. It was in this country that people from ancient times began to purposefully grow this plant as a spinning crop. A little later, the cultivation of such a plant began to be practiced in Bavaria, Belgium, Algeria, Mexico, Brazil, America (in the state of Louisiana), Thailand. In our country, in the 1990s, an attempt was made to grow ramie on the Black Sea coast, but the idea did not justify itself. Difficulties in processing ramie, the lack of a sales market have led to the fact that today this crop is grown in our country only in small quantities.

Chinese nettle picking

First of all, in order to get high-quality ramie fabric, you need to properly harvest Chinese nettles. This process should be carried out when the growth of the plant slows down and the color of the stem changes from green to brown. If the ramie is harvested earlier, the fibers will be fragile. A fabric made from such a material will turn out to be of poor quality, without a characteristic sheen, with a broken structure. If the grass is harvested after the required time, it will be almost impossible to separate the fibers from the stem. This will lead to loss of time and volume of finishedmaterial, as well as increase material costs.

Because ramie is a perennial plant, it is harvested 2-4 times a year depending on external conditions.

Fiber making

Just a few decades ago, Chinese nettle fiber was made exclusively by hand. And today, in some Asian villages, craftsmen process ramie without the use of chemicals and mechanized devices. The biggest difficulty in making cloth from Chinese nettle is the separation of the fibers from the stem. Such manual labor requires a lot of physical effort and time.

After the creation of special mechanisms "Favier" and "Fora", designed to separate the fibers from the stems of the plant, the process of processing ramie has become much faster and easier. However, after separation of the fibers, they require a long drying time. This process takes an average of 3 to 7 days, depending on external conditions. Sometimes manufacturers of clothing made from natural materials do not pay enough attention to the process of drying the fibers, which leads to a significant deterioration in the quality of raw materials and, as a result, to a negative impact on the finished product. In addition, another difficulty in the processing of this plant is the elimination of the stickiness and burning of the fibers. Various chemicals are used for this.

The process of making ramie fiber consists of two stages. The first is the primary processing of the plant stem. This process includes directly separating the threads,their subsequent drying and winding into rolls. The second stage is weaving, that is, the manufacture of matter from the resulting fibers. Thus, the creation of cloth from Chinese nettle is a long and laborious process. These factors directly affect the cost of such material and, as a result, the price of finished products. Therefore, such nettle fabric has not yet gained much popularity in European countries.

The history of ramie clothes

As mentioned above, the ramie plant has been used in spinning art since ancient times. People not only appreciated the unique properties of natural raw materials, but also noticed the healing effect of clothing made from materials such as ramie fabric. Therefore, things from Chinese nettle were sewn to order for the imperial family and the immediate environment. Such clothes were distinguished by elegant brilliance, lightness. Soft fabric was made exclusively by hand. But for commoners they used damaged, incorrectly assembled fibers, hastily woven fabrics. From such raw materials, clothes of a rough style were obtained.

Today, even with improper processing of such a delicate material as Chinese nettle, low-quality fabrics are obtained. That is why modern connoisseurs of ramie clothing prefer to purchase raw materials in China or India - these countries have centuries-old experience in processing the plant, making quality products from its fibers.

Travelers brought white ramie to European countries. As historical facts indicate, Queen Elizabeth I highly appreciatedfabric brought from distant countries. They say that even the bed of this noble person was made of nettles. In addition, materials similar in their characteristics were brought to the Netherlands from the Java Peninsula - such a fabric was called cambric.

In the 19th century, the plant began to be cultivated in European countries. In some areas, the production of fabric from ramie fibers was launched.

In Russia they spun from different herbs, including nettle. But such a plant as ramie does not grow in this area, so this raw material has not won wide popularity. Nevertheless, this plant is still cultivated in the Caucasus.

Rami in modern clothing production

Today, ramie is becoming popular all over the world again. Famous fashion designers make clothes from such material for world shows. Produce things from the fibers of Chinese nettle brands such as "Twenty and Twelve", "Burberry", "Lanvin". Some brands prefer combined materials, others sew things with 100% content of such natural raw materials. Consumers who appreciate the high quality and safety of natural materials note the durability of ramie fabric, as well as such characteristic properties as silky sheen, weightlessness, and the ability to keep cool.

In Korea, there is still a long-standing tradition of holding a Chinese nettle cloth festival. It usually takes place in mid-June. As part of such a festive event, several days in a row shows of clothes made from Chinesenettles. Everyone can demonstrate their skills in making various souvenirs from ramie. In addition, guests are treated to dishes in the preparation of which this plant is used.

Fabric Properties: Benefits

In terms of external characteristics, ramie is similar to such a natural fabric as linen. But studies have shown that nettle material is 7 times stronger. In addition, this fabric is moisture resistant. Therefore, ropes and sails were first made from the fibers of this plant, and only later they began to sew clothes from this raw material. In addition, high-quality fabric from this plant is distinguished by airiness, a beautiful, silky sheen. These characteristics are, of course, the advantages of such a natural material as ramie (fabric). The properties of Chinese nettle threads make it possible to make things of different density: marine ropes, ropes are woven from such raw materials, paper and even banknotes are made, towels and bed linen are sewn, and everyday and festive clothes are also created.

In addition, we also point out such an advantage of ramie fibers as ease of dyeing. After drying, the threads of the plant become white. This allows you to produce high-quality, without the use of additional chemicals, repainting.

Nettle fabric is practically resistant to decay, which significantly extends its service life. We also note that such material does not shrink after washing, retaining its color for a long time.

Flaws of Chinese fabricnettles

But you can also note the disadvantages of such material as ramie fabric. First of all, we indicate such a property as brittleness, the appearance of fractures at the bend, and the lack of elasticity. In addition, such a fabric is easily wrinkled, which causes a lot of inconvenience to the owners of clothes made from this material. But modern manufacturers eliminate such shortcomings by adding the necessary components to the composition of the fabric.

Rami: material composition

Modern manufacturers, taking into account the characteristic properties of raw materials, practically do not manufacture products consisting exclusively of ramie fibers. After all, such clothes turn out to be rough, quickly wearing out. Therefore, to eliminate such shortcomings, wool, cotton or linen are added to the Chinese nettle fibers (depending on the purpose of the finished product). Thus, a combined composition of ramie fabric is obtained. What does it give? Clothing made from this material is wear-resistant, breathable, less wrinkled and brittle, while retaining its characteristic beautiful shine and structure.

Note that many jeans manufacturers are increasingly adding Chinese nettle fibers to denim. This results in a soft fabric that is breathable. Consumers have appreciated this novelty in the denim market and are increasingly opting for this natural material.

Rami clothing manufacturers

Today, many popular brands - clothing manufacturers produce products made on the basis of raw materials such as nettleChinese. In particular, such global brands as "Zara", "Mango", "Collins" produce clothes from a combined material, which includes Chinese nettle fibers. Thus, these clothing brands make jeans, business suits, blouses and shirts, trousers and skirts from such fabric. These products enjoy great success in the world market. Therefore, companies continue to expand such production, increase supplies.

In addition, manufacturers of products for pregnant women and children are increasingly opting for raw materials such as ramie. In addition to the unique external properties, clothing made from natural fabrics, according to studies, contributes to the normalization of blood pressure, blood flow, and the elimination of headaches. It is also important to note that this fabric is hypoallergenic. That is why clothes made of such material are recommended for people prone to skin reactions, as well as expectant mothers and babies.

Fabric Care

Rami clothing does not require any special care. Products made entirely from the fiber of such a plant should be washed by hand. This method will eliminate the formation of creases in the material. You can also use the washing machine with the Delicates or Silk program set in advance. The water temperature should not exceed 40 degrees. For washing, you can use special powders and conditioners for silk. It is better to wring out clothes from such fabric manually or at low speeds of the washing machine.

It is recommended to dry in such a way that the material does notsubjected to a sharp bend. In this case, the thing may deteriorate due to the formation of a tissue break. In addition, traces of clothespins may remain on this material, which will be difficult to smooth out. Therefore, it is better to hang ramie clothes loosely on a wide bar.

Clothes made from natural fabrics (particularly ramie) are ironed at a high temperature. At a low level, it will be quite difficult to achieve the desired result. It's also best to iron ramie while still damp.

Does ramie have other constituents? How to wash combined materials? In this case, follow the directions on the label. So, if the composition includes wool or cotton, the product should be washed at a temperature of 30 degrees. It is recommended to iron such materials from the wrong side or through a cotton fabric. Also, remember that cotton shrinks after washing. Therefore, it is not recommended to dry this fabric in the washing machine.

Chinese nettle fabric reviews

Of course, it is difficult to find a consumer who does not appreciate the beauty and unique properties of clothing made from such a natural fabric. Nevertheless, in European countries, as well as in the territory of the Russian Federation, ramie material is not widely popular. This is primarily due to the high cost of such products. While such common materials as linen and cotton, having properties similar to ramie, are much more affordable for domestic and European consumers.

Despite this, the owners of clothes frommaterials such as ramie fabric indicate a high wear resistance of things. In addition, note such properties as softness, weightlessness. Also, consumer reviews indicate that the material is pleasant to the touch, and an unusual shine gives clothes made of ramie nobility, high cost.

Thus, the natural material from Chinese nettle has unique properties, which are the driving force that guides global companies to expand the production of ramie fabric.