The environmental implications of the use of Calotropis gigantea as a textile fabric

Abstract

An investigation was made to determine the feasibility of using the fiber of Rux (Calotropis gigantea), a common wild plant in Thailand, to make textile fabric. It was found that a mixture of Rux with cotton, as well as a mixture of Rux with synthetic fibers such as rayon or polyester, could be used to make textile fabrics of reasonable quality. As Rux is a weed growing everywhere without requirements for fertilizers and pesticides, the adoption of Rux as a source of fiber for the textile industry could bring large areas of presently unused marginal land under cultivation and might reduce the energy input to farming. Such a development could lead to a higher net income for farmers, as well as creating a new cottage industry to provide another source of income for the rural people of the third world. © 1984.