ramie

Ramie (Boehmeria nivea) is a flowering plant in the nettle family (Urticaceae) cultivated for its bast fiber. Native to eastern Asia, it has been used for textiles for centuries. Ramie plants are tall perennials with large, serrated leaves; the stems are harvested to obtain long fibers from the phloem beneath the bark.

The ramie fiber is valued for strength, durability, and a natural luster. It remains strong when wet and resists microbes, making it suitable for textiles that require shape retention and rigidity. The fiber is extracted from the stem through processing steps that include retting to loosen the bark, decortication to separate the fiber, and scutching and hackling to clean and align it.

Ramie fibers are among the longest and strongest natural fibers and are commonly blended with cotton, linen, or synthetic fibers to improve strength, elasticity, and dimensional stability in fabrics. Ramie is used in a range of textiles, including apparel, upholstery fabrics, and technical textiles. It has historically been employed for ropes and banners as well, and continues to be valued for its smooth, lustrous finish.

Cultivation and production occur in warm, humid climates. Major ramie production regions include China, the Philippines, and India. The environmental impact of ramie depends largely on retting practices; dew or enzymatic retting can reduce water pollution compared with traditional water retting. Harvesting can occur multiple times from the same plants in suitable climates, with fiber content varying by cultivar and growing conditions.