The dimension and arrangement of unit cells in a fiber determine the structure and also influence the properties of the fibers. The dimensions of individual cells or
‘ultimates’ in natural fibers are dependent on the species, maturity and location of the fibers in the plant and also on the fiber extraction conditions . Individual cells in pineapple and banana fibers are relatively longer and therefore these sources can produce long fibers. The widths of individual cells in rice straw, wheat straw and
corn husk are smaller and can therefore form relatively finer fibers. As shown in Table 2, coir has thick individual cells and therefore cannot form fine fibers. When used for
applications such as textiles and paper, the length to diameter ratio (l/d) of individual cells in a fiber affects the flexibility and resistance to rupture of the fibers and products made from them. Wheat and rice straw have high l/d ratios and are therefore more commonly used in the manufacturing of paper