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 processed for use in carpet yarn, rope, geotextile (netting or matting), traditional carpets, hessian or burlap, paper, sacks, etc. Bast fibers are also used in the non-woven, moulding, and composite technology industries for the manufacturing of non-woven mats and carpets, composite boards as furniture materials, automobile door panels and headliners, etc. From prehistoric times through at least the early 20th century, Bast shoes were woven from bast strips in the forest areas of Eastern Europe.
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