The Department of Science and Technology’s Technological Development Board (TDB) and Sahi Fab Private Limited in New Delhi recently signed a contract for the development and commercialization of fibre from agricultural waste stem materials such industrial hemp, flax, and nettle.
Out of the $2.08 million overall project cost, TDB committed $1.38 million.
This partnership marks the start of a TDB initiative to create and market waste management solutions.
According to a formal announcement, the fibre will not only support the circular economy but also increase farmers’ revenue by almost seven times.
The company has created a novel approach by producing fibre in three phases from this waste. The machine known as the decorticator, which was created locally, is used to initially prepare the hemp stem. The next step is wet processing, which uses machinery operating at high temperatures and pressures to treat the extracted fibre with alkali and enzymes.
The third phase involves carding to individualise the treated fibre, which can then be processed in a variety of ways, including via needle punching (non-woven).
