Bananas…when you hear that word what comes to mind? Are your thoughts drifting somewhere along the lines of:
- 1. Monkeys swinging from a tree
- 2. Tropical paradise where banana trees form a beautiful silhouette of fans
- 3. Yummy sensational ice-cream
- 4. A dieter’s friend or foe – depending on if you’re a fan of carbs and the banana diet or not
But what if I told you that I mind drifted off to enticing thoughts of yards and yards of colourful soft yarns that make the most unbelievably beautiful knitted projects? No I haven’t gone bananas (yes I know a cheap pun but I couldn’t resist) because the eco-knitting fan would know I was referring to banana silk yarn – the eco vegan pick against conventional silk yarn.
You see, the banana plant is native to South East Asia and the locals recognise this plant to be akin to the coconut tree in the sense that every part of the plant can be and IS used.
The fruit – the banana itself is recognised worldwide as a most delectable delicacy.
The flower, also known as the banana heart or blossom doesn’t exactly look like your conventional flower but little known to the folks outside of SEA, this ‘heart’ is what gives some curries and dishes such as laksa its successful distinctive taste.
The trunk of a banana plant is soft – it does not have the hard rough bark like a tree does which I guess is part of the reason why they aren’t classified as trees. The trunks of the plant are used in Indian and Burmese cooking.
The leaves – these large waxy fan like leaves are a staple use in the South East Asian cuisine. The are used as plates to serve the famous Indian Banana Leaf Rice and the Chinese Char Koay Teow giving the dish a distinctive fragrance.
But there’s more purpose to the banana plant than just stuffing our tummies full of nutrients. From the soft bark, amazingly soft and strong fibres are obtained and spun into beautiful yarn. For those who knit, you’ll find that banana silk yarn is special in that is a soft and shiny albeit a bit fuzzy, perfect for your more bulky projects.
And it really doesn’t stop there. The banana plant is a tremendous breakthrough for the textile industry on the eco front because you’ve also got banana fibre cloths and rope that make amazing clothes and fabrics possible.
