I just read in this book that tree of heaven (Ailanthus sp) is the host for a type of silkworm that makes fiber that is less glossy than silk, but much more durable.
That’s a type of natural fiber I’ve never heard of before! And it sounds like a pretty fantastic way to reduce our dependence on cotton (which isn’t the easiest or most enviromentally sustainable crop to grow). I find that I agree with the book: if we start feeding ailanthus silkmoths (Samia cynthia) on leaves from trees of heaven that are already in an ecosystem, we can make excellent cloth and control an invasive species. What a great idea!
That makes me wonder: how many other nifty plant fibers are out there that might be largely ignored and would be valuable to know about?
Here are a few simple thoughts I have right now.
Flax is a very drought tolerant food crop that also grows fiber.
So is yucca. The leaves can be used to make strong thread that can be used to weave strong cloth.
Silk would be easily attainable for someone who has mulberry trees in their yard (or growing wild in their ecosystem) and doesn’t mind keeping a population of silkworms that they regularly feed with leaves. (Silkworms might also be an interesting option as a livestock population for a small space.)
Can you think of any other interesting options? This seems like a subject well worth discussing. Fiber is an interesting yield we food gardeners often ignore, and if it can even come as a bonus from the same plants we’re growing for food . . . neato!
Imho in this topic Nettles are greatly underrated.
Interesting thing about flax seeds is it’s one of best sources of omega 3. Most plants provide too much omega 6 to be useful as source of omega 3. (ratio is important)
Common milkweed, stinging nettle, and dogbane all make excellent fiber for cordage and cloth. Indigenous peoples used them extensively. Stinging nettle is also a delicious early spring cooked green and it improves the soil.
