Nettle fibre (Urtica dioica) — detail
Also known as: Nettle cloth, Fibre nettle, Urtica dioica
Bast fibre from the stem of stinging nettle — historically nettle cloth, today a niche eco fibre with linen-like character.
Description
True nettle fibre is obtained from the stem of stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) and — unlike Ramie (Boehmeria nivea, also a nettle-family plant but tropical) — is suited to Central European climates. Raw fibre content in the stem is around 5–15 %, extracted by retting, breaking, scutching and combing — comparable to the flax-to-linen process.
During World War I, cultivated fibre nettle was processed into uniform cloth („Nesseltuch") in Germany and Austria when cotton was scarce. After 1918 the fibre largely disappeared, but since the 2000s has seen a comeback in sustainable apparel — mostly blended with cotton or wool. The fibre is strong, breathable, has a cool hand and a subtle natural sheen.
- Cultivation possible without pesticides; nettle also grows on poor soils
- Fibre length 3–7 cm, coarser than cotton, similar to linen
- Traditional cultivars such as „Fibre Nettle 13" were bred in the 20th century
- Not related to „nettle print" fabric or Ramie — botanically distinct plant
Properties
| Fibre type | Bast fibre (cellulose) |
|---|---|
| Botany | Urtica dioica (stinging nettle) |
| Growing regions | Germany, Austria, Italy, Hungary |
| Application | Eco apparel, interior, historical uniforms |
Related product categories
Sources & references
2- Wikipedia: Urtica dioica Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urtica_dioica
- FNR: Nachwachsende Rohstoffe — Nessel pflanzen.fnr.de https://pflanzen.fnr.de/industriepflanzen/faserpflanzen/nessel
