Sisal
Family Agavaceae
Agave sisilana, sisal (A. sisilana 1), is a xerophytic perennial plant with a short thick stem and a close rosette of leaves. A long stout flowering shoot or pole is produced after 5-12 years (A. sisilana 5), and after the production of flowers and bulbils the plant dies. A plant usually produces 200-250 leaves before flowering, each about 125 cm long, triangular in cross-section and 10-15 cm wide. Each leaf contains over 1000 fibre bundles.
Distribution
Sisal is found wild in Central America. In 1893 it was introduced into Tanzania, now one of the world’s largest producers (A. sisilana 2), together with Kenya and Brazil. The name sisal is derived from the Mexican harbour of the same name from where the fibres were exported.
Use
Sisal leaves (A. sisilana 3) yield a hard coarse fibre of over 1 m in length, which is mainly used in the manufacture of twines and cordage. Yarn is used to form strands which are twisted together to form ropes. It is also used to make sacks, for carpet backing, bags and matting, and in upholstery. Chopped fibres are used to reinforce plasterboards and single fibres for strengthening bituminized paper.
In the factory the fibres are removed from the leaves by a crushing and scraping process, after which they are dried in the open (A. sisilana 4). Finally they are sorted according to length and packed.
In Mexico some Agave-species are used to produce the national drink pulque by fermenting the juice from the leaves. Distillation of pulque yields tequila and mescal.