Abacá

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'''Abacá''' ({{IPAc-en|ɑː|b|ə|ˈ|k|ɑː}} {{respell|ah-bə|KAH|'}}; {{langx|fil|abaka}} {{IPA|tl|ɐbɐˈka|}}), also known as '''Manila hemp''', is a species of [[banana]], '''''Musa textilis''''', endemic to the [[Philippines]]. The plant grows to {{convert|13|-|22|ft|m}}, and averages about {{convert|12|ft|m}}. The plant has great economic importance, being harvested for its [[fiber]] extracted from the leaf-stems.{{GRIN | ''Musa textilis'' | 24742 | accessdate = June 5, 2014}}{{cite journal |author=Katrien Hendrickx |orig-date=1st Pub. 1904 |series=Studia anthropologica |volume=11 |title=The Origins of Banana-fibre Cloth in the Ryukyus, Japan |journal=Farmers' Bulletin |date=2007 |isbn=978-90-5867-614-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ULyu8dNqS1sC |page=170 |publisher=Leuven University Press}}

'''Abacá''' ({{IPAc-en|ɑː|b|ə|ˈ|k|ɑː}} {{respell|ah-bə|KAH|'}}; {{langx|fil|abaka}} {{IPA|tl|ɐbɐˈka|}}), also known as '''Manila hemp''', is a species of [[banana]], '''''Musa textilis''''', endemic to the [[Philippines]]. The plant grows to {{convert|13|-|22|ft|m}}, and averages about {{convert|12|ft|m}}. The plant has great economic importance, being harvested for its [[Leaf fiber|fiber]] extracted from the leaf-stems.{{GRIN | ''Musa textilis'' | 24742 | accessdate = June 5, 2014}}{{cite journal |author=Katrien Hendrickx |orig-date=1st Pub. 1904 |series=Studia anthropologica |volume=11 |title=The Origins of Banana-fibre Cloth in the Ryukyus, Japan |journal=Farmers' Bulletin |date=2007 |isbn=978-90-5867-614-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ULyu8dNqS1sC |page=170 |publisher=Leuven University Press}}

The lustrous fiber is traditionally hand-loomed into various indigenous textiles ('''abaca cloth''' or '''medriñaque''') in the Philippines. They are still featured prominently as the traditional material of the [[barong tagalog]], the national male attire of the Philippines, as well as in sheer lace-like fabrics called ''[[nipis]]'' used in various clothing components. Native abaca textiles also survive into the modern era among various ethnic groups, like the ''[[t'nalak]]'' of the [[T'boli people]] and the ''dagmay'' of the [[Bagobo people]]. Abaca is also used in traditional Philippine [[millinery]], as well as for bags, shawls, and other decorative items. The [[hatmaking]] straw made from Manila hemp is called ''tagal'' or ''tagal straw''.{{cite book |last=Dreher |first=Denise |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fc9x1E8J0wwC&q=Tagal |title=From the neck up : an illustrated guide to hatmaking |publisher=Madhatter |year=1981 |isbn=9780941082006 |edition=1st |location=Minneapolis, Minn.}}{{cite book |last=Ginsburg |first=Madeleine |url=https://archive.org/details/hattrendstraditi00gins |title=The hat: trends and traditions |publisher=Barron's |year=1990 |isbn=9780812061987 |edition=1st U.S. |location=Hauppauge, N.Y. |quote=Tagal. |url-access=registration}}

The lustrous fiber is traditionally hand-loomed into various indigenous textiles ('''abaca cloth''' or '''medriñaque''') in the Philippines. They are still featured prominently as the traditional material of the [[barong tagalog]], the national male attire of the Philippines, as well as in sheer lace-like fabrics called ''[[nipis]]'' used in various clothing components. Native abaca textiles also survive into the modern era among various ethnic groups, like the ''[[t'nalak]]'' of the [[T'boli people]] and the ''dagmay'' of the [[Bagobo people]]. Abaca is also used in traditional Philippine [[millinery]], as well as for bags, shawls, and other decorative items. The [[hatmaking]] straw made from Manila hemp is called ''tagal'' or ''tagal straw''.{{cite book |last=Dreher |first=Denise |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fc9x1E8J0wwC&q=Tagal |title=From the neck up : an illustrated guide to hatmaking |publisher=Madhatter |year=1981 |isbn=9780941082006 |edition=1st |location=Minneapolis, Minn.}}{{cite book |last=Ginsburg |first=Madeleine |url=https://archive.org/details/hattrendstraditi00gins |title=The hat: trends and traditions |publisher=Barron's |year=1990 |isbn=9780812061987 |edition=1st U.S. |location=Hauppauge, N.Y. |quote=Tagal. |url-access=registration}}

The fiber is also exceptionally strong, stronger than [[hemp]] and naturally salt-resistant, making it ideal for making twines and ropes (especially for maritime shipping). It became a major trade commodity in the colonial era for this reason.{{cite web |url=http://www.tis-gdv.de/tis_e/ware/fasern/manila/manila.htm |title=Manila hemp |publisher=Transport Information Service, Gesamtverband der Deutschen Versicherungswirtschaft e.V. |access-date=May 15, 2011}} The abaca industry declined sharply in the mid-20th century when abaca plantations were decimated by [[Military history of the Philippines during World War II|World War II]] and plant diseases, as well as the invention of [[nylon]] in the 1930s. Today, abaca is mostly used in a variety of specialized paper products including [[tea bag]]s, [[filter paper]] and [[banknote]]s. [[Manila envelope]]s and [[Manila paper]] derive their name from this fiber.{{cite journal |author1=H. T. Edwards |author2=B. E. Brewer |author3=George E. Nesom |author4=Otis Warren Barrett |author4-link=Otis Warren Barrett |author5=William Scrugham Lyon |author6=Murad M. Saleeby |name-list-style=amp |year=1904 |title=Abacá (manila hemp) |journal=Farmers' Bulletin |publisher=Bureau of Agriculture. Republic of the Philippines}}

The fiber is also exceptionally strong, stronger than [[hemp]] and naturally salt-resistant, making it ideal for making twines and ropes (especially for maritime shipping). It became a major trade commodity in the colonial era for this reason.{{cite web |url=http://www.tis-gdv.de/tis_e/ware/fasern/manila/manila.htm |title=Manila hemp |publisher=Transport Information Service, Gesamtverband der Deutschen Versicherungswirtschaft e.V. |access-date=May 15, 2011}} The abaca industry declined sharply in the mid-20th century when abaca plantations were decimated by [[Military history of the Philippines during World War II|World War II]] and plant diseases, as well as the invention of [[nylon]] in the 1930s. Today, abaca is mostly used in a variety of specialized paper products including [[tea bag]]s, [[filter paper]] and [[banknote]]s. [[Manila envelope]]s and [[Manila paper]] derive their name from this fiber.{{cite journal |author1=H. T. Edwards |author2=B. E. Brewer |author3=George E. Nesom |author4=Otis Warren Barrett |author4-link=Otis Warren Barrett |author5=William Scrugham Lyon |author6=Murad M. Saleeby |name-list-style=amp |year=1904 |title=Abacá (manila hemp) |journal=Farmers' Bulletin |publisher=Bureau of Agriculture. Republic of the Philippines}}

Abaca is classified as a [[Leaf fiber|hard fiber]], along with [[coir]], [[henequin]] and [[sisal]]. Abaca is grown as a commercial crop in the Philippines, Ecuador, and Costa Rica.

Abaca is classified as a [[hard fiber]], along with [[coir]], [[henequin]] and [[sisal]]. Abaca is grown as a commercial crop in the Philippines, Ecuador, and Costa Rica.

==Description==

==Description==