Bast (biology)

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This article is about the plant tissue. For the Egyptian goddess, see Bast (goddess).

Bast are the strong fibers in the phloem of a number of dicotyledonous plants, in particular jute, hemp, flax, ramie, kenaf, roselle hemp, etc. They support the conductive cells of the phloem and provide strength to the stem. The bast of some plants are commercially important fiber crops. Bast fibers are often called skin fibers, since the fiber is extracted from the skin of the plant.

[edit] Use of Bast Fiber

Bast fibers are made to use carpet yarn, rope, geotextile (netting or matting), traditional carpets, hessian or burlap, paper, sacks, etc. Now, bast fibers also used in the non-woven, moulding, and composite technology for manufacturing non-woven mats & carpets, composite boards as furniture materials, automobile door pannels & headliners, etc. Bast shoes were woven from bast strips in forest areas of Eastern Europe in old times.