Understanding Ramie Fiber
Properties, Advantages, Disadvantages and Uses
Ramie Fiber/What is Ramie Fiber?
Ramie (pronounced Ray-me) is one of the oldest vegetable fibers and has been used for thousands of years. It was used for Chinese burial shrouds over 2,000 years ago, long before cotton was introduced in the Far East.
Ramie is classified chemically as a cellulose fiber, just as cotton, linen, and rayon. Leading producers of ramie are China, Taiwan, Korea, the Philippines, and Brazil.
Until recently, ramie has been unknown in the ready-to-wear market in this country, but it is appearing in more garments. It is often blended with cotton and available in woven and knit fabrics that resemble fine linen to coarse canvas.
Ramie usage increased in the mid-1980s with a fashion emphasis on natural fibers and a loophole in textile import regulations. Ramie and garments made of more than 50 percent ramie entered the United States without import quota limits. Legislation was passed in 1986 eliminating the quota-free status of ramie.
Ramie is also known as China-grass, rhea, and grass cloth. The fibers are found in the bark of the stalk. The process of transforming ramie fiber into fabric is similar to manufacturing linen from flax. The fiber is very fine and silk-like, naturally white in color, and has a high luster.
Properties of Ramie Fiber
Ramie is one of the strongest natural fibers.
It has better strength when wet.
It is similar to linen.
It is not durable as other fibers and so is usually used as a blend with other fibers such as cotton or wool.
It is known especially for its ability to hold shape, reduce wrinkling, and introduce a silky luster to the fabric appearance.
Advantages of Ramie
Resistant to bacteria, mildew, and insect attack.
Extremely absorbent.
Dyes fairly easy.
Increases in strength when wet.
Withstands high water temperatures during laundering.
Smooth lustrous appearance improves with washing.
Keeps its shape and does not shrink.
Can be bleached.
Disadvantages of Ramie
Low in elasticity.
Lacks resiliency.
Low abrasion resistance.
Wrinkles easily.
Stiff and brittle.
Ramie Used as a Blend
Ramie is most often blended with other fibers for its unique strength, absorbency, luster, and dye-affinity. When blended with high-quality cotton, it offers increased luster, strength, and color. When mixed with wool, ramie adds lightness and minimizes shrinkage. When blended with rayon, it offsets the low wet strength.
Care of Ramie
Ramie-blend fabrics can be laundered or dry-cleaned depending on the dyes, finishes, and garment design. The care label will state the preferred method. The dry-cleaning method helps preserve the beauty of woven ramie items and gives the best color and shape retention with a wrinkle-free appearance. With caution, white ramie fabrics may be bleached with chlorine-type bleaches. Ramie fabrics withstand ironing temperatures up to 400 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, or the cotton setting on an iron.
When storing ramie or ramie blends, lay them flat. Ramie fibers are brittle and tend to break. Avoid folding the garment or pressing sharp creases in woven fabrics.
Uses of Ramie
Ramie is used in fabrics resembling linen, such as apparel fabrics for shirts and shorts, tablecloths, napkins, and handkerchiefs. It is often found as a blend with cotton in knit sweaters. Ramie is also used in fishnets, canvas, upholstery fabrics, straw hats, and fire hose.
