Natural nonwoven materials

1. A nonwoven material comprising:

a finishing resin layer; and

a multilayered stack, the multi-layered stack comprising discrete interconnected layers, each of the layers, which may be the same or different, comprising a composite fibre that is a mixture of;

(i) more than 50% w/w of air-laid enzymatically degummed leaf fibre or enzymatically degummed stem fibre or mixtures thereof which are derived from one or more plants of the Bromeliaceae family wherein said leaf or stem fibres or mixtures thereof being degummed at a temperature of about 40° C.;

(ii) from about 15 to 20% w/w of a fusible polymer, wherein the polymer is fusible at a temperature of less than 180° C.;

wherein one or more of the discrete interconnected layers is associated with the fusible polymer for use in the manufacture of a material;

(iii) wherein the multilayered stack is coated with the finishing resin layer and wherein the finishing resin layer and the fusible polymer are different;

(iv) calendering the material; and

(v) curing the curable material, wherein the cured material is the cured nonwoven material.

2. A nonwoven material according to claim 1 wherein the leaf fibres or stem fibres have a length of from about 2 to 12 cm.

3. A nonwoven material according to claim 1 wherein the fusible material is a resin.

4. A nonwoven material comprising:

a finishing resin layer; and

a multilayered stack, the multi-layered stack comprising discrete interconnected layers, each of the layers, which may be the same or different, comprising a composite fibre that is a mixture of;

(i) from about 80 to 95% w/w of air-laid enzymatically degummed leaf fibre or enzymatically degummed stem fibre or mixtures thereof said leaf or stem fibres or mixtures thereof being degummed at a temperature of about 40° C.;

(ii) from about 15 to 20% w/w of a fusible polymer, wherein the polymer is fusible at a temperature of less than 180° C.;

wherein one or more of the discrete interconnected layers is associated with the fusible polymer;

(iii) wherein the multilayered stack is coated with the finishing resin layer and wherein the finishing resin layer and the fusible polymer are different; and

(iv) calendering the material.

5. The material according to claim 4 wherein the material is an artificial leather.

6. The material according to claim 4 wherein the degummed leaf fibre or degummed stem fibre or mixtures thereof are enzymatically degummed with one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of polygalacturonase, pectinesterase, pectinic lyase, hemicellulase, pectinase and cellulase, and mixtures thereof.

7. The material according to claim 4 wherein the degummed leaf fibre or degummed stem fibre or mixtures thereof are enzymatically degummed with one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of polygalacturonase, pectinesterase, pectinic lyase and hemicellulase, and mixtures thereof.

8. The material according to claim 4 wherein the degummed leaf fibre or degummed stem fibre or mixtures thereof are enzymatically degummed with a mixture of polygalacturonase, pectinesterase, pectinic lyase and hemicellulase (Biopectinase) or a mixture of polygalacturonase and hemicellulase.

9. The material according to claim 4 wherein the degummed leaf fibre or degummed stem fibre or mixtures thereof are enzymatically degummed with a mixture of polygalacturonase and hemicellulase.

10. A nonwoven material comprising

a finishing resin layer; and

a multilayered stack, the multilayered stack comprising discrete interconnected layers, each of the layers, which may be the same or different, comprising a composite fibre which is a mixture of:

(i) from about 80 to 95% w/w of air-laid enzymatically degummed leaf fibre or enzymatically degummed stem fibre or mixtures thereof; said leaf or stem fibres or mixtures thereof being degummed at an acidic pH;

(ii) from about 5 to 20% w/w of a polymer, wherein the polymer is fusible at a temperature of less than 180° C.;

(iii) wherein one or more of the discrete interconnected layers is associated with the fusible polymer;

(iv) wherein the multilayered stack is coated with the finishing resin layer and wherein the finishing resin layer and the fusible polymer are different;

(v) calendering the material;

(vi) curing the curable material; and

(vii) wherein the treated material is subjected to tumbling, so that the treated material resembles leather.

11. A nonwoven material comprising:

a finishing resin layer; and

a multilayered stack, the multilayered stack comprising discrete interconnected layers, each of the layers, which may be the same or different, comprising a composite fibre which is a mixture of:

from about 80 to 95% w/w of air-laid enzymatically degummed leaf fibre or enzymatically degummed stem fibre or mixtures thereof; said leaf or stem fibres or mixtures thereof being degummed with one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of polygalacturonase, pectinesterase, pectinic lyase and hemicellulase, and mixtures thereof;

(ii) from about 5 to 20% w/w of a fusible polymer, wherein the polymer is fusible at a temperature of less than 180° C.;

(iii) wherein one or more of the discrete interconnected layers is associated with the fusible polymer;

(iv) wherein the multilayered stack is coated with the finishing resin layer and wherein the finishing resin layer and the fusible polymer are different.

12. A nonwoven material comprising:

a finishing resin layer; and

a multilayered stack, the multilayered stack comprising discrete interconnected layers, each of the layers, which may be the same or different, comprising a composite fibre which is a mixture of:

from about 80 to 95% w/w of air-laid enzymatically degummed leaf fibre or enzymatically degummed stem fibre or mixtures thereof said leaf or stem fibres or mixtures thereof being degummed at a temperature of about 40° C.;

(ii) from about 5 to 20% w/w of a fusible polymer, wherein the polymer is fusible at a temperature of less than 180° C.;

(iii) wherein one or more of the discrete interconnected layers is associated with the fusible polymer;

(iv) wherein the multilayered stack is coated with the finishing resin layer and wherein the finishing resin layer and the fusible polymer are different:

(v) calendering and curing the material; and

(vi) wherein the treated material is subjected to tumbling, so that the treated material resembles leather.

13. The material according to claim 12 wherein the leaf fibre comprises leaves of one or more plants of the Bromeliaceae family.

14. The material according to claim 12 wherein the leaf fibre comprises a relatively high content of the leaves of Ananas Comosus (Linn), pineapple.

15. The material according to claim 12 wherein the material comprises fibres having a linear mass density of from about 10 to 20 tex.

16. A nonwoven material according to claim 12 wherein the leaf fibres or stem fibres have a length of from about 2 to 12 cm.

17. A nonwoven material according to claim 12 wherein the fusible material is a resin.

18. The material according to claim 12 wherein the material is an artificial leather.

19. The material according to claim 12 wherein the degummed leaf fibre or degummed stem fibre or mixtures thereof are enzymatically degummed with one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of polygalacturonase, pectinesterase, pectinic lyase, hemicellulase, pectinase and cellulase, and mixtures thereof.

20. The material according to claim 12 wherein the degummed leaf fibre or degummed stem fibre or mixtures thereof are enzymatically degummed with one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of polygalacturonase, pectinesterase, pectinic lyase and hemicellulase, and mixtures thereof.

21. The material according to claim 12 wherein the degummed leaf fibre or degummed stem fibre or mixtures thereof are enzymatically degummed with a mixture of polygalacturonase, pectinesterase, pectinic lyase and hemicellulase (Biopectinase) or a mixture of polygalacturonase and hemicellulase.

22. The material according to claim 12 wherein the degummed leaf fibre or degummed stem fibre or mixtures thereof are enzymatically degummed with a mixture of polygalacturonase and hemicellulase.

23. The material according to claim 1 wherein the material is an artificial leather.

24. The material according to claim 1 wherein the degummed leaf fibre or degummed stem fibre or mixtures thereof are enzymatically degummed with one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of polygalacturonase, pectinesterase, pectinic lyase, hemicellulase, pectinase and cellulase, and mixtures thereof.

25. The material according to claim 1 wherein the degummed leaf fibre or degummed stem fibre or mixtures thereof are enzymatically degummed with one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of polygalacturonase, pectinesterase, pectinic lyase and hemicellulase, and mixtures thereof.

26. The material according to claim 1 wherein the degummed leaf fibre or degummed stem fibre or mixtures thereof are enzymatically degummed with a mixture of polygalacturonase, pectinesterase, pectinic lyase and hemicellulase (Biopectinase) or a mixture of polygalacturonase and hemicellulase.

27. The material according to claim 1 wherein the degummed leaf fibre or degummed stem fibre or mixtures thereof are enzymatically degummed with a mixture of polygalacturonase and hemicellulase.

28. The material according to claim 4 wherein the leaf fibre comprises leaves of one or more plants of the Bromeliaceae family.

29. The material according to claim 4 wherein the leaf fibre comprises a relatively high content of the leaves of Ananas Comosus (Linn), pineapple.

30. The material according to claim 4 wherein the material comprises fibres having a linear mass density of from about 10 to 20 tex.

31. A nonwoven material according to claim 4 wherein the leaf fibres or stem fibres have a length of from about 2 to 12 cm.

32. A nonwoven material according to claim 4 wherein the fusible material is a resin.

33. The material according to claim 10 wherein the leaf fibre comprises leaves of one or more plants of the Bromeliaceae family.

34. The material according to claim 10 wherein the leaf fibre comprises a relatively high content of the leaves of Ananas Comosus (Linn), pineapple.

35. The material according to claim 10 wherein the material comprises fibres having a linear mass density of from about 10 to 20 tex.

36. A nonwoven material according to claim 10 wherein the leaf fibres or stem fibres have a length of from about 2 to 12 cm.

37. A nonwoven material according to claim 10 wherein the fusible material is a resin.

38. The material according to claim 10 wherein the material is an artificial leather.

39. The material according to claim 10 wherein the degummed leaf fibre or degummed stem fibre or mixtures thereof are enzymatically degummed with one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of polygalacturonase, pectinesterase, pectinic lyase, hemicellulase, pectinase and cellulase, and mixtures thereof.

40. The material according to claim 10 wherein the degummed leaf fibre or degummed stem fibre or mixtures thereof are enzymatically degummed with one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of polygalacturonase, pectinesterase, pectinic lyase and hemicellulase, and mixtures thereof.

41. The material according to claim 10 wherein the degummed leaf fibre or degummed stem fibre or mixtures thereof are enzymatically degummed with a mixture of polygalacturonase, pectinesterase, pectinic lyase and hemicellulase (Biopectinase) or a mixture of polygalacturonase and hemicellulase.

42. The material according to claim 10 wherein the degummed leaf fibre or degummed stem fibre or mixtures thereof are enzymatically degummed with a mixture of polygalacturonase and hemicellulase.

43. A nonwoven material according to claim 11 wherein the leaf fibres or stem fibres have a length of from about 2 to 12 cm.

44. A nonwoven material according to claim 11 wherein the fusible material is a resin.

45. The material according to claim 11 wherein the material is an artificial leather.

46. The material according to claim 11 wherein the degummed leaf fibre or degummed stem fibre or mixtures thereof are enzymatically degummed with one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of polygalacturonase, pectinesterase, pectinic lyase, hemicellulase, pectinase and cellulase, and mixtures thereof.

47. The material according to claim 11 wherein the degummed leaf fibre or degummed stem fibre or mixtures thereof are enzymatically degummed with one or more enzymes selected from the group consisting of polygalacturonase, pectinesterase, pectinic lyase and hemicellulase, and mixtures thereof.

48. The material according to claim 11 wherein the degummed leaf fibre or degummed stem fibre or mixtures thereof are enzymatically degummed with a mixture of polygalacturonase, pectinesterase, pectinic lyase and hemicellulase (Biopectinase) or a mixture of polygalacturonase and hemicellulase.

49. The material according to claim 11 wherein the degummed leaf fibre or degummed stem fibre or mixtures thereof are enzymatically degummed with a mixture of polygalacturonase and hemicellulase.

50. The material according to claim 1 wherein the leaf fibre comprises leaves of one or more plants of the Bromeliaceae family.

51. The material according to claim 1 wherein the leaf fibre comprises a relatively high content of the leaves of Ananas Comosus (Linn), pineapple.

52. The material according to claim 1 wherein the material comprises fibres having a linear mass density of from about 10 to 20 tex.