UTILIZING MUSA ACUMINATA (BANANA) PSEUDOSTEM FIBER AS A RENEWABLE RESOURCE FOR HANDMADE PAPER

Abstract

The banana plant, widely produced and consumed around the world, is known for its fruit, but the other parts, particularly the pseudostem, often go unused, resulting in significant environmental waste. The pseudostem, which constitutes a large portion of the banana plant's mass, is typically discarded after fruit harvesting, contributing to unnecessary waste. However, this part of the banana plant holds untapped potential in various industries. With its biodegradable properties, the banana pseudostem can be repurposed into eco-friendly products such as textiles, paper, and biodegradable packaging, helping reduce the environmental footprint. Exploring these alternative uses for the banana pseudostem can provide an innovative solution to minimize waste and foster sustainable practices across various sectors. By leveraging this underutilized natural resource, we can contribute to a more sustainable and eco-conscious approach to agriculture and manufacturing. This study serves as an experimental investigation aimed at reducing waste and utilizing it as a renewable resource for handmade paper. Specifically, it focuses on the banana pseudostem, which is typically discarded as waste after fruit harvesting. The study assesses the quality of handmade pseudostem paper by evaluating key characteristics, including writability, thickness, and tensile strength, and compares these properties with those of commercially available paper. Various writing tools were employed to test the paper’s writability, considering aspects such as legibility, clarity, and smudge resistance. The thickness of the paper was calculated by dividing the weight of the paper sample in grams by its area in cubic centimeters. The tensile strength of the paper was measured using a newton scale to determine its durability and resistance to tearing. By exploring the potential of banana pseudostem as a sustainable alternative for paper production, this study contributes to efforts aimed at reducing environmental waste and promoting eco-friendly materials in the paper industry. The results indicate that both the handmade paper made from banana pseudostem and the commercialized paper demonstrate similar qualities in terms of writability. Both papers are readable, clear, and resistant to smudging, making them suitable for writing. In terms of thickness, the handmade banana pseudostem paper has a measured thickness of 0.17 g/cm³, while the commercialized paper has a slightly lower thickness of 0.12 g/cm³. When testing tensile strength, both types of paper were subjected to seven trials, and the results show no significant difference in their tensile strength. This suggests that the handmade banana pseudostem paper exhibits comparable durability and strength to that of commercialized paper, further supporting its viability as an alternative, eco-friendly material for paper production. The findings of this study highlight the potential of using banana pseudostem as a renewable and sustainable resource for handmade paper production. The results demonstrate that banana pseudostem paper offers comparable qualities to commercial paper, including writability, thickness, and tensile strength. In conclusion, this research provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of banana pseudostem as an alternative material, emphasizing its potential to reduce environmental waste while serving as a viable option in paper production.