Year: 2024 | Month: April-June | Volume: 9 | Issue: 2 | Pages: 60-64
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijshr.20240209
Development of Banana Fabric Fruit Cover Finished with Neem Leaf Extraction
Dr. V. Kavitha1, S.S Navananthana2
1Associate Professor and Head, Department of Costume Design and Fashion, Dr. N.G.P. Arts and Science College, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.
2B.Sc. Student, Department of Costume Design and Fashion, Dr. N.G.P. Arts and Science College, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.
Corresponding Author: Dr. V. Kavitha
ABSTRACT
Fruit covers, also known as fruit protection covers or fruit netting, are used in agro tech to provide a physical barrier around fruits. They are typically made of lightweight, breathable material that allows sunlight, air, and water to reach the fruit while keeping pests, birds, and other animals away. Fruit covers act as a shield against extreme weather conditions, such as hail, strong winds, or excessive rainfall, which can cause physical damage to the fruit. Fruit cover protects from damages caused by nature to the fruits. Banana fabric is used for fruit cover. It is breathable and biodegradable. Banana fiber has its own physical and chemical characteristics and many other properties that make it a fine quality fiber. Appearance of banana fiber is similar to that of bamboo fiber and ramie fiber, but its fineness and spinnability is better than the two. The chemical composition of banana fiber is cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin .It is highly strong fiber .It has smaller elongation. It has somewhat shiny appearance depending upon the extraction & spinning process. Selected the neem leaf to prevent the fruits from insects. The herb was collected and washed thoroughly to get rid of insects if any were present in it. The leaves are plucked and taken for the next process. Double boiling method is used to extract neem leaf. In a double boiler, water is placed in a pot that sits on the burner. On top of the pot, a glass or metal bowl holds the ingredients you're cooking. The steam from the simmering water warms the contents of the bowl gently with indirect heat. Fruit cover has 70% breathability. It is done to confirm that the fruit cover is suitable for the fruit to grow. Tearable testing is 25% towards wet tearing an 20% towards dry tearing.
Keywords: Fruit cover, Extraction of neem leaf, Banana fabric, breathability, shield against extreme weather, Myrobalan