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Vegetable fiber, made from nettles. Similar to flax (linen) but a lot finer.
Pronounced as "ray-me", and loved by many textile artists, Ramie is one of the oldest vegetable fibers and is classified chemically as cellulose fiber, just as cotton, linen, and rayon are. This botanical wonder fiber has been produced globally for thousands of years in Brazil, Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, and beyond. Ramie is harvested from the inner stalk of the nettles plant where the fibers are naturally white, lustrous, and fine, like silk, but with a texture similar to flax.
Ramie is a strong fiber that strengthens when wet and is known for its ability to hold shape, reduce wrinkling, and introduce a silky luster to the fabric appearance. Ramie is bacteria, mildew, and insect attack resistant as well as being able to withstand high water temperatures.
It is often blended with other fibers for its unique strength, absorbency, luster, and dye-affinity. Blend with cotton to increase luster, strength, and color. Mix with wool to add a lightness to the fabric and minimize shrinkage. Ramie is ideal for fabrics that resemble linen, such as tablecloths, napkins, handkerchiefs, shirts, shorts, and blended with cotton for sweaters. Ramie is also used in fishnets, canvas, upholstery fabrics, hats, and fire hoses.