Sisal plants consist of a rosette of sword-shaped leaves about 1.5 to 2
meters tall. Young leaves may have a few minute teeth along their
margins, but lose them as they mature. Sisals are sterile hybrids of
uncertain origin; although shipped from the port of Sisal in Yucatán
(thus the name), they do not actually grow in Yucatán, the plantations
there cultivate henequen (Agave fourcroydes) instead. Evidence of an
indigenous cottage industry in Chiapas suggests it as the original
location, possibly as a cross of Agave angustifolia and Agave kewensis.
The sisal plant has a 7-10 year life-span and typically produces 200-250 commercially usable leaves. Each leaf contains an average of around 1000 fibers. The fibers account for only about 4% of the plant by weight. Sisal is considered a plant of the tropics and subtropics, since production benefits from temperatures above 25 degrees Celsius and sunshine.
The sisal plant has a 7-10 year life-span and typically produces 200-250 commercially usable leaves. Each leaf contains an average of around 1000 fibers. The fibers account for only about 4% of the plant by weight. Sisal is considered a plant of the tropics and subtropics, since production benefits from temperatures above 25 degrees Celsius and sunshine.
Uses of Sisal
- Traditionally, sisal has been the leading material for agricultural twine (binder twine and baler twine) because of its strength, durability, ability to stretch, affinity for certain dyestuffs, and resistance to deterioration in saltwater. but the importance of this traditional use is diminishing with competition from polypropylene and the development of other haymaking techniques, while new higher-valued sisal products have been developed. Apart from ropes, twines and general cordage sisal is used in low-cost and specialty paper, dartboards, buffing cloth, filters, geotextiles, mattresses, carpets, handicrafts, wire rope cores and Macrame. In recent years sisal has been utilized as an environmentally friendly strengthening agent to replace asbestos and fiberglass in composite materials in various uses including the automobile industry.. The lower grade fiber is processed by the paper industry because of its high content of cellulose and hemicelluloses. The medium grade fiber is used in the cordage industry for making: ropes, baler and binders twine. Ropes and twines are widely employed for marine, agricultural, and general industrial use. The higher-grade fiber after treatment is converted into yarns and used by the carpet industry.