It has been left to the Chinese to teach us how the tops, of banana fibre thrown on the rubbish heap every year can be converted into banana cloth and sold at a most remunerative price. One year old plants are selected and the stalk is unrolled and steamed over cauldrons of boiling water till soft. It is a simple matter than to remove the green outer skin, by passing strips of the stalk through an instrument provided with a couple of blunt blades, which act as scrapers. The fibre thus obtained is placed in cloth, and pounded, in order to drive out excess moisture, and is next cleaned and twisted into yarn for weaving. Banana cloth is said to be eminently suitable for tropical wear, and is very durable. Rodney and Otamatea Times, Waitemata and Kaipara Gazette , 10 July 1912, Page 7
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