Fibre. Textiles

The banana plant has long been a source of fibre for high quality textiles. In Japan, the cultivation of banana for clothing and household use dates back to at least the 13th century. In the Japanese system, leaves and shoots are cut from the plant periodically to ensure softness. The harvested shoots must first be boiled in lye to prepare the fibres for the making of the yarn. These banana shoots produce fibres of varying degrees of softness, yielding yarns and textiles with differing qualities for specific uses. For example, the outermost fibres of the shoots are the coarsest, and are suitable for tablecloths, whereas the softest innermost fibres are desirable for kimono and kamishimo. This traditional Japanese banana cloth making process requires many steps, all performed by hand.

In another system employed in Nepal, the trunk of the banana plant is harvested instead, small pieces of which are subjected to a softening process, mechanical extraction of the fibres, bleaching, and drying. After that, the fibres are sent to the Kathmandu valley for the making of high end rugs with a textural quality similar to silk. These banana fibre rugs are woven by the traditional Nepalese hand-knotted methods, and are sold RugMark certified.

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Fruit:

Here are lists of fruits considered edible in some cuisines - Fruits of temperate climates are almost universally borne on trees or woody shrubs or liana - The Family Rosaceae dominates the temperate fruits, both in numbers and in importance - In non-technical usage, berry means any small fruit that can be eaten whole and lacks objectionable seeds - Some fruits native to Asia or of Asian Origin.

Apple:

Cultivars vary in their yield and the ultimate size of the tree, even when grown on the same rootstock - The trees are susceptible to a number of fungal and bacterial diseases and insect pests - At least 55 million tonnes of apples were grown worldwide in 2005, with a value of about $10 billion - Different cultivars of apples have a distinct different taste, and this can be separated into two separate factors of flavour and texture. - An old proverb attests to the health benefits of the fruit: "An apple a day keeps the doctor away."