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Arts & Entertainment

The Grass Is Always Greener...

Grass isn't just for lawns and golf courses anymore. There is a wide variety of products in the design world that come from various types of grasses and other natural fibers.

Spring sunshine, afternoon showers, and lots of pollen mean it’s time to break out the lawnmower again.  There’s nothing like the smell of fresh cut grass to really drive the winter doldrums away!

Grass, however, has a lot of applications you might not have considered aside from your lawn. There is a wide variety of products in the design world that come from various types of grasses and other natural fibers.

Cat tail, sweet grass, rattan, river cane, willow, mountain grass, hemp, and jute are a few of the world's most versatile, renewable, and therefore “green” products used in the wonderful world of designer textiles. 

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You’ll find these fibers in chair seats, baskets, wallpaper known as grass clothrugs, cording, fringes, and even fabrics.

Here’s just a little more information about some of those aforementioned natural fibers:

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  • Jute is a favorite across the textiles manufacturing industry .  It is a long, soft, shiny vegetable fiber that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is grown mostly in India and harvested there, employing thousands of people.    Once the stalks of the plant are harvested, they are bundled and soaked in water to soften the tissues and permit the fibers to be separated. The fibers are then stripped from the stalks, washed, dried and baled. Jute has a very soft feel similar to cotton.
  • Mountain grass is also known as Hemp.  Formally grown in China, it is now an important crop in many regions of the U.S.   Hemp  is a smooth grass fiber which easily accepts dye and, because it is so absorbent, keeps its color for a long time, longer than cotton which is prone to fading.
  • Seagrass is a durable, economical plant fiber derived from the shallow seas of the Asia-Pacific region. Seagrass reeds are thick and rigid. The non-porous fiber is smooth to the touch and gives a slight natural sheen. Seagrass is only available in its natural color, which has an organic, green cast and becomes less green overtime. Seagrass is the most stain resistant fiber used in the textile industry.
  • Sisal is a natural fiber derived from the cactus plant. It grows in semi-arid regions of Africa and Brazil. Sisal fibers (which can be up to three feet long) are sustainably harvested by hand from the leaves of the cactus plant.  Sisal is stronger and more durable than other natural fibers making it a preferred material for carpet and rugs.  It is a favorite of interior designers due to its handsome texture.

Here in the Oconee area you can find products made from these beautiful natural products in local furniture stores, clothing and accessories boutiques, flooring retailers, and your favorite designer’s resources.

Now that spring is here, perhaps consider lightening the mood within your home or office by a seasonal replacement of a sisal rug while your wool one is cleaned and stored for the summer.  Stack your magazines and newspapers  in a reed basket.   Shed your heavy jeans for some soft hemp slacks , and swap out your heavy leather handbag for a straw tote instead!

You can feel good about your purchases knowing that natural fibers are renewable and important to the economy of many countries.

 

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