Saturday, July 19, 2008

SISAL - naturally tough and beautiful

SISAL is a stiff fiber derived from the 'agave sisalana' cactus plant. Sisal grows in semi-arid regions such as Brazil, Africa, Tanzina, and Kenya. All natural so it is biodegradable. Annual sisal production is the second largest in the world after cotton.

This fiber naturally lends itself to rugs and carpeting due to its strength and durablitiy. Sisal rugs are naturally anti-static, do not trap dust so they are easy to care for, simply vacuum or spot clean. They possess flame retardant and sound absorbing characteristics. Although it tends to expand or contract when wet, so avoid using in areas that receive many spills, rain, or snow.

Other products made from sisal include furniture, spa products, cat scratching posts, slippers, cloths, paper, geotextiles, mattresses, rope and macrame. Recent research has found sisal to be an eco-friendly alternative used as a strengthening agent, replacing harmful asbestos and fiberglass in certain manufacturing processes.

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