Invasive Species? Break Out the Sewing Machine

"Water hyacinth" might have a charming ring to it, but it’s an invasive species — fast-growing and free-floating (the worst kind!) — that is bedeviling bodies of water throughout Africa and Asia. The wide and rapid spread of Eichhornia crassipes, to use the not-nearly-so-lovely scientific name, has caused great concern over the past decade.

Uncontrolled growth of the weed means the leaves block sunlight so that the oxygen levels of waterways decline and fish and other creatures die. The biodiversity of waterways is decimated, water transport is stopped up and the resulting weed-choked bog attracts malaria-carrying mosquitoes and snails with the schistosomiasis flatworm.

What to do when invaded by a fast-growing, free-floating invasive hyacinth? Why, make clothing, of course!

According to SciDevNet, scientists at the Philippine Textile Research Institute, part of that country's Department of Science and Technology, have discovered that they can turn the plant’s stems into fiber appropriate for polyester-blend textiles. Whenever '70s fashions come back (and you know they will; anything’s possible if the '80s can), you’ll be able to simultaneously save the world’s waterways and disco with the best of the them.

Communities whose water sources have been clogged by this aquatic weed might soon be able to benefit from the plant. Researchers at the Research Center For Physics at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences believe that using the plant to make useful things can be an income-generating activity.

The water hyacinth stems are a complex carbohydrate; the first step of turning them into fiber is boiling to reduce the moisture content. They can also be transformed into furniture, paper, craft items or biofuel.

Photo courtesy of sarahemcc, via Flickr