Fiber crops are field crops grown for their fibers, which are used to make paper or cloth. These crops are generally havestable after a single growing season, as opposed to trees which are typically grown for many years before being harvested for wood pulp fiber. In specific circumstances, fiber crops can be superior to wood pulp fiber in terms of technical performance, environmental impact or cost.

Botanically, the fibers havested from many of these plants are bast fibers; the fibers come from the phloem tissue of the plant. The other fiber crop fibers are seed padding, leaf fiber, or other parts of the plant.

Fiber crops include:

• Bast fibers
  • Jute
  • Flax (which produces linen)
  • Ramie
  • Hemp
  • Kenaf
  • Abaca
  • Nettles
• Other fibers
  • Cotton
  • Bamboo
  • Esparto

External links

• Living Tree Paper Company FAQ