Milkweed fibre (Asclepia syriaca) is obtained from the
seedpod of milkweed also known as mudar. The members of this family are found
in the tropical regions and in the drier parts of Central and South America. In
India, it is found in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. The
family is represented by several genera such as Asclepias, Calotropis,
Ceropigia etc. Milkweed contains an abundance of milk sap in its leaves, stem
and pods. Many parts of milkweed are used in medicinal applications. The floss
obtained from the seed, is used for stuffing purpose.
Milkweed fibres are hollow, with a thin wall and are
therefore lightweight. The hollow structure of milkweed fibre has led to its
use in items where good insulation or buoyancy properties are needed1.2.
Like cotton, it is a single cell fibre, but unlike cotton, it is free from
convolutions and has low cellulose content. Due to its very smooth surface,
spinning of 100% milkweed fibre is difficult. However, it can be blended with
other fibres and spun into a yarn.
Researchers have worked to explore use of this fibre for
conventional textile applications. However no detailed work is carried out to
study the properties of these fibres collected from different regions. The
present study is therefore aimed to study the physical and chemical properties
of these fibres collected from different regions. The dyeing behavior of these
fibres were also studied.
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About the Author
Dr. M. S. Parmar holds PhD from Meerut
University, UP. He is currently working as Asst Director at The Northern India
Textile Research Association (NITRA). He has published over 35 articles in various
journals and has guided students in 25 projects in PhD, MSc and B.Tech levels.
