Fiber crop

Fiber crops are field crops grown for their fibers, which are traditionally used to make paper, cloth, or rope. Fiber crops are characterized by having a large concentration of cellulose, which is what gives them their strength. The fibers may be chemically modified, like in viscose (used to make rayon and cellophane). In recent years, materials scientists have begun exploring further use of these fibers in composite materials.

Fiber crops are generally ready for harvest after a single growing season, as distinct from trees, which are typically grown for many years before being harvested for such materials as wood pulp fiber or lacebark. In specific circumstances, fiber crops can be superior to wood pulp fiber in terms of technical performance, environmental impact or cost.

Botanically, the fibers harvested from many of these plants fall into four categories: bast fibers, from the phloem tissue of the plant; hard/leaf fibers (from the entirety of plant vascular bundles); surface (seed) fibers (from plant epidermal tissue); and pith.