Introduction: Two indigenous plants to Namibia were recently discovered to contain a high quality fibre in their stems. The fibre of Euphorbia Gregaria and Euphorbia Damarana has many possible applications in the textile and composite material (automotive) industries. Both species grow in abundance, covering large areas in the semi-desert regions of Northern and Southern Namibia, representing an opportunity for the sustainable harvesting of an existing natural resource and the formation of a new textile industry in Namibia. Mr J.J. van Zyl, a well-known Namibian businessman and entrepreneur, was the first to identify and suggest the commercialisation of this remarkable fibre. The Botanical Department of Pretoria University confirmed Mr Van Zyl's initial findings. The fibre is registered and protected under intellectual property rights and is known as Godene Fibre (GF). |
||||||||||
|