Siti Rohmah, Wiah Wardiningsih, Fatimatuz Zahro, Ryan Rudy, Rr Wiwiek Eka Mulyani, Samuel Martin Pradana, Didin Wahidin
The growing fiber gap and environmental concerns in the textile industry necessitate the exploration of renewable raw materials. This study evaluates Zingiber zerumbet pseudo-stems, an underutilized agricultural by-product, as a sustainable fiber source. The pseudo-stems were processed via 30-day water retting without chemicals to extract fibers, which were then characterized. The fibers exhibited an average length of 62.67 cm, fineness of 4.08 Tex, tenacity of 12.69 gf/Tex, elongation of 5.97 %, coefficient of friction of 0.44, and moisture regain of 11.60 %. SEM analysis revealed rough surfaces with visible lumens, XRD indicated a crystallinity index of 49.07 %, and FTIR confirmed the presence of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Compared with other natural fibers, Zingiber zerumbet fibers showed favorable fineness, adequate strength, and elongation, meeting industrial thresholds for selected textile and composite applications. These results highlight the potential of valorizing Zingiber zerumbet pseudo-stems as an eco-friendly fiber resource, supporting waste reduction and sustainable textile production. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd
Politeknik STTT Bandung (Bandung Polytechnic of Textile Technology), West Java, Bandung, Indonesia; Department of Family Welfare Science, Universitas Negeri Padang, West Sumatera, Padang, Indonesia
