Studying Factors in the Utilization of Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. Fibers to Create Products with Environmentally Friendly Processes

According to the continuously worsening climate crisis, there is an increasing release of greenhouse gases every year. Moreover, this has resulted in global temperatures continuing to rise, and temperatures will likely increase by about 1.1 degrees Celsius from before the industrial era. It is predicted that there is a chance of a 1.5-degree Celsius increase by 2035, leading to more severe disasters [1]. Moreover, the international community is concerned about resource use, which nature is increasing in the future environment [2]. In this case, according to the concept of sustainable development goals (SDGs), people worldwide give importance to them. Awareness of environmental issues shows the need for every human being, including reducing the use of natural resources and turning to resources that can be recycled (Renewable Resources). In this case, it can reduce production resources that may cause greenhouse gas emissions that impact the environment to promote highly efficient use of natural resources to preserve the environment [2, 3].

The policy to drive Thailand towards Thailand 4.0 is based on the BCG economic model for the period 2021 - 2027 with achieving holistic economic development from economic development of three economic aspects: 1) Bioeconomy, 2) Green Economy, and 3) Circular Economy with aiming at preserving the value of resources. Moreover, it shows nature today by reducing the use of natural resources for new uses. Then, we focused on using reuse to find renewable resources in various forms. Similarly, the reduction of the release of greenhouse gas emissions with pollution problems can also aid in creating a new type of economy that can grow and compete on an international level. At the same time, the BCG economic model will help distribute income to communities and help eliminate inequality. In this case, it has been shown that all development should aim to create sustainability that is friendly to the environment and aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations, leading to the vision of Thailand as a stable, prosperous, and sustainable developed country. This is based on the philosophy of a sufficiency economy [4].

In Thailand, there is a growing trend of cultivating Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb., a plant from the ASPARAGACEAE family, as an ornamental plant in residential homes. This trend has led to increased consumer demand for Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. Moreover, it can help reduce carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels day and night. The rate at which these plants emit carbon dioxide is low. This makes them popular for improving indoor air quality by helping to balance the atmosphere and absorb toxic pollutants. Additionally, they are known for their beautiful shapes and colors, making them popular as ornamental plants.

In this case, it is an ornamental plant with high economic value that can be exported to many countries, such as Japan, the Netherlands, and South Korea, with Nursery plots for growing Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. In the central region of Thailand, many farmers have leftover leaves and stems from their planting plots, totaling more than 1 ton per day. They cannot be disposed of or used in time before they spoil, releasing gases. Moreover, the greenhouse generates significant waste from composting and manages the reuse of these waste products. In addition, it included studying research on transforming plant fibers to create higher economic value [5]. It was discovered that the ASPARAGACEAE family of trees has versatile properties that can be used to make jewelry, produce medicine for both humans and animals, and even provide food. One of the most promising applications is using the fibers from these trees to make soft clothing.

Environmental problems caused by the rapid expansion of the fast fashion model of the textile industry have led to severe impacts on the global environment [6, 7] on account of overproduction and huge discounts. This has resulted in the consumption of numerous resources that finally gives rise to the aforementioned environmental problems, the key cause of rapid environmental degradation [8]. Since the beginning of the 21st century, textile product designers worldwide have therefore started giving precedence to the search for new natural fibers in order to replace cotton as well as polymer fibers in the production process of the textile industry, which is regarded as the development of various natural fibers. Simultaneously, it demonstrates the status of the textile industry with regard to sustainable development. Thus, product designers and entrepreneurs in the textile industry in this modern age are making an effort to protect the environment by using eco-friendly materials and sustainable production processes. To do so, biodegradable natural fibers are used, thereby providing the production process with the least impact on ecosystems.

Undoubtedly, entrepreneurs in the textile industry in Thailand are paying attention to the use of fibers from Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. because of their strength and durability, suitable for further development into eco-friendly products [9]. This concept conforms to the goal of the government policy in 2024 to support a large number of green innovations in Thailand. Tips and leafstalks of Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. are considered as wastes, and must be disposed of from plots. If these parts of Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. are processed into fibers for reuse, it can generate benefits for the farmers of this particular plant and also provide the guidelines on utilization of these new natural fibers for entrepreneurs in the textile industry. Furthermore, they are biodegradable fibers with low environmental impact, compared with synthetic fibers. However, for efficient use of these fibers in production, the research is mainly focused on several crucial factors, e.g., 1) the fiber separation process, 2) the physical properties of fibers from Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb., 3) environmental impacts, and 4) potential needs in the market, in order to apply these fibers to the fiber production process for fabric weaving that uses natural fibers from plant waste (zero waste agriculture). This practice conforms to the goal to apply utility in Thailand’s and the global textile and garment industries. In the research, the feasibility to develop eco-friendly products that can facilitate farmers with living a sustainable lifestyle is also suggested. To clarify, the knowledge obtained from this research can be applied to utilize waste materials in the agricultural sector and to generate sustainable extra income for farmers.

This is a mixed-methods research study, in which the implementation process included: 1) studying the data, 2) experimentation, 3) analysis, and 4) determining the factors for the guidelines on utilization of fibers from Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. In this research, eight techniques of fiber separation processing were used, as shown in Table 1. Then, the obtained fibers were studied to identify opportunities for processing them to be used in the actual production as new textile products, which were subsequently assessed by farmers of Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb.

Research question: Which factors affect the chance of success in applying fibers from Sansevieria stuckyi God.- Leb. to design eco-friendly textile products?

3.1 Research objectives

1) Study the physical properties of fibers for Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb.

2) Study the guidelines for using Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. fibers.

3.2 Research scope

1) Studying the physical properties of fibers for Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb.

A) Raw materials for extracting fibers consist of the following: 1) fresh leaves of Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. with a diameter of 1 centimeter, cut into lengths of 20 centimeters and a weight of 1 kilogram per set in each experiment, 2) five liters of clean water for use in dissolving, and 3) 0.05 liters of Effective Microorganisms (EM).

B) The equipment used in the experiment was as follows) a tape measure to measure the length of Sansevieria stuckyi God. plants and leaves - Leb before processing - after processing, 1) a pH meter for measuring the acidity or alkalinity of the solvent, 2) a digital scale to weigh the fibers before and after processing, 3) a glass bottle of solvent for measuring the pH, 4) a plastic bucket and lid for fermentation, 5) stainless steel pot for boiling Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. leaves, 6) a gas stove for cooking, set at 100℃ for 2 hours, 7) fiber drying grid, size 30 × 60 centimeters, for eight sets, 8) fiber brush for carding the dried fibers.

C) Steps for separating and extracting Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. fibers were divided into four steps.

Step 1: Study the physical properties of Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. to confirm suitability for separating fibers by measuring the length and diameter of leaves of mature plants.

Step 2: Identify an appropriate solvent for separating the fibers from Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. This involved determining the soaking time in the fermentation experimental sets 1-6, which will be 21 days. Additionally, experimental sets 7-8 will be conducted without soaking in fermentation. Further details are provided in Table 1.

At the fiber processing stage, there were several limitations of fiber processing that cut the experimental formulas down to only eight. Each of them was different in terms of the processing methods that farmers can employ in practice by using materials and equipment that are available in their own households. Thus, the results of this research are very useful but only to meet the needs of small industries or communities, due to the limitations for application to production in large industries.

Step 3: Check the physical properties of Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. fibers after conditioning.

Step 4: Weigh the Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. fibers after conditioning [14].

Table 1. Fiber separation experiment set for Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb.

2) Study the guidelines for making use of Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. fibers to create environmentally friendly products by dividing the population as follows:

A) Population: A group of farmers who grow Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. in the central region of Thailand, with 2,044 households (Ornamental plant cultivation areas in Thailand, 2022).

B) Sample group: 359 farmers cultivating Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. At the planting site using stratified sampling. The sampling is divided based on the farmers' living areas. A random sampling method is employed with a confidence level of 9.5% and a margin of error of 5%, calculated using Taro's sample calculation formula with Yamane [15].

More specifically, for the limitations in terms of the data obtained from the samples, this research was conducted to obtain opinions from farmers of Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. only. Their feelings toward fiber processing and its features were considered. Thus, the data obtained only describes the perspectives of farmers.

C) Research tool: Structured questionnaire that asks about guidelines for using Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. fibers while the questions will be in the form of variables that can be observed and measured quantitatively, which is a 5-level Likert rating scale (Rating Scale) (Item-Objective Congruence Index = 0.862; Cronbach's Alpha = 0.949) including showing that the questionnaire is reliable to be used for collecting data with a sample group [16].

D) Data analysis: 1) Mean, 2) Standard Deviation: SD, 3) Exploratory Factor Analysis: EFA, 4) Confirmatory Factor Analysis: CFA with research statistics applied to analyze the research data by using the SPSS program [17].

E) The research is certified according to research ethics standards (Institutional Review Board: IRB) from the institution. IRB of King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (EC-KMITL_67_011 / 11 /2023).

1) A study on the physical properties of Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. fibers cultivated by farmers in central Thailand has revealed that the trimmed leaves have stems before they are cut. Additionally, the researcher experimented with eight different formulas to transform the fibers. The colors of the fibers in each formula were tested, with formulas 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 8 resulting in brown fibers. In the case of formula 3, the fibers appeared light green mixed with brown; in formula 7, the fibers seemed to be light green. Then, all formulas have the physical characteristics of fibers with a rough surface, and the fibers are brittle and easily broken. However, the resulting fibers appear in an orderly, straight, beautiful fiber arrangement. and group together in an orderly manner [14, 18]. Therefore, the details of the research results are as follows:

1. Test results: When arranging the dry fiber weights from highest to lowest, it was found that in experimental formula 7, it weighed 0.60 kilograms. In experimental formula 8, it weighed 0.50 kilograms; in experimental formula 1, it weighed 0.48 kilograms. For experimental formulas 2, 4, and 6, the weight was 0.44 kilograms, while in experimental formula 5, it weighed 0.40 kilograms. In experimental formula 3, the weight was 0.36 kilograms. The weights of the dry fibers after carding are as follows: experimental formulas 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 weigh 0.32 kilograms; experimental formulas 3 and 7 weigh 0.24 kilograms; and experimental formula 8 weighs 0.16 kilograms.
2. The results of the fiber shortness test, arranged from least to greatest, are as follows: Experimental formula 7 has a length of 1.5 centimeters, experimental formula 8 has a length of 1.8 centimeters, experimental formulas 1, 2, and 6 have lengths of 2 centimeters, experimental formula 4 has a length of 2.1 centimeters, experimental formula 3 has a length of 2.5 centimeters, and experimental formula 5 has a length of 2.6 centimeters.
3. Fiber length test results arranged from highest to lowest, including experimental formula 5 with a length of 18.1 centimeters, experimental formula 3 with a length of 17.6 centimeters, experimental formula 4 with a length of 17.5 centimeters, experimental formulas 2 and 1 with a length of 17 centimeters, and experimental formula 8 with a length of 16.5 centimeters, and experimental formula 7 with a length of 16 centimeters.

After conducting the experiments, all eight sets of experimental formulas successfully identified the top three experimental results: experimental sets 5, 3, and 4. These sets demonstrated that the weight of the fibers was manageable and that the fibers could be effectively grouped. Additionally, the fibers gained a substantial weight after the carding process. All three experimental formulas indicated that farmers could utilize leaf waste for a cost-effective transformation process, providing an opportunity to generate income for farmers cultivating this type of crop in an environmentally friendly manner. Furthermore, the fibers are well-suited for blending with other materials [14] to produce textile products [12, 22].

2) Studying exploratory factors in search of elements that are variables affecting the satisfaction of farmer groups regarding the methods of utilization of Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. fibers is based on data from twenty-two observable variables, with the results showing high predictive values from four factors that emerged from a combination of 15 variables that help textile product designers to apply them as design concepts.

Then, all four factors can be integrated into marketing to create a strategy to promote the use of local waste materials for transformation while creating additional economic value, a concept known as sustainable community product development [23]. Besides, it emphasizes the importance of using local materials to strengthen the community's economy, including promoting farmers to have direct and indirect income from the many resources available in the local area. Similarly, it also stimulates the creative thinking process [24, 25]. In presenting methods for developing waste in their farming areas, they rely on their potential in three aspects: 1) using technology appropriate for the community, 2) using one's skills, and 3) using local resources and others.

All four factors will reflect the need to develop agriculture for sustainable growth, both directly and indirectly, which will create career strength and sufficient income from the transformation of a large amount of local materials. Besides, it is concerned with an environmentally friendly production process [26]. In addition, the application of newly developed fibers to the production of home textiles is still necessary, relying on the development of quality fiber processing processes done by farmers, and it can produce quality fibers suitable for production into products to respond to consumers in the market effectively [27, 28]. In this case, it can be operated without using all future materials.

3) Results from the structural equation model of feelings represent a group of farmers who have taken advantage of Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. fibers from four factors which can be summarized as factors affecting farmers who grow this type of crop satisfaction includes: factor 1 or utility, factor 2 or creating awareness, factor 3 or stimulating sales and factor 4 or environmental friendliness and others. Besides, 15 variables work together to influence, which appeared because of the newly developed structural equation model, which is consistent and can be used in design. Then, textile products are a strategy for making use of local materials [29]. As a result, there is a high chance of future success, which depends on four influencing factors as follows:

1. Utility factors: It can make use of the Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. fibers remaining from farmers' cuttings help reduce material waste. These fibers are strong and durable, making them ideal for various uses. The fibers possess unique characteristics, and the colors are suitable for producing durable and robust products such as ropes, floor mats, nets, and more. Similarly, the strength of Sansevieria fibers demonstrates the potential of naturally occurring fibers suitable for the future [30]. Thus, the fibers from Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. have similar physical characteristics to popular natural fibers, such as jute, hemp, and sisal, and possess tensile strength properties with similar resistance to degradation. In this case, the physical characteristics of the resulting fibers are consistent with the concept of cost-effective utilization through recycling methods [31]. As a result, it can develop as an experimental formula that effectively gives optimum fiber yield for being produced into textile products. In this case, it is considered a method that helps Reduce the amount of waste from trimming trunks that often become waste material in agricultural areas. It is also believed to create income for farmer groups directly and indirectly [5].
2. Perception factors: Sansevieria fibers have excellent moisture resistance properties, unlike other natural fibers that can decompose or weaken when exposed to moisture. However, Sansevieria fibers can still maintain their integrity even in wet conditions. Thus, this property makes the fiber suitable for outdoor use where moisture resistance is essential for long-term use outside the residence [32]. Additionally, Sansevieria fibers are non-allergenic, different from synthetic fibers, and can cause allergies. Therefore, Sansevieria fibers are suitable for textile products that come in contact with the skin [33].
3. Sales stimulating factors: Sansevieria fibers have high strength and durability [34, 35]. Then, it is suitable for textiles outside the residence because it is resistant to use and frequently washed. Besides, the fiber does not lose quality and has a long lifespan because it can absorb natural moisture well. Similarly, the research results also confirm that research on developing natural fibers for use in daily life will help reduce the impact on the world in the long run [35]. Moreover, natural fibers can be biodegradable and considered for sustainable management of natural resources without affecting the environment. Therefore, the most outstanding feature of this type of fiber is its antibacterial and antifungal properties for reducing fungal growth [36]. In addition, this type of fiber has natural hypoallergenic properties, and Sansevieria fiber is less likely to cause skin irritation or allergic reactions. As a result, it is considered a safe alternative material for textile applications [37].
4. Environmental friendliness factor: Sansevieria fibers are considered an environmentally friendly material option as they are naturally renewable resources. Moreover, Sansevieria can be harvested without causing severe environmental harm and blended with other plants' natural fibers [9]. Then, it is using Sansevieria fibers in an environmentally sustainable way. Like helping, it can reduce material waste leftovers in agricultural areas, and transformation fibers lead to valuable applications in the economic aspect that increased, which is beneficial economically to the textile industry sector [2].

All four factors comprised 15 variables arose from the need to use agricultural wastes of Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. to provide farmers with their own opportunities for sustainable development [8]. These four factors describe the opinions regarding the situation in which the Thai government will support farmers to process fibers from Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. for use in the Thai textile industry. If so, it is required that the government sector as well as agencies promote the efficient utilization of these fibers, with the four factors as reinforcement. They offer an interesting choice to replace synthesized fibers in the textile industry because the innovative processing of Sansevieria stuckyi fibers relies on a biodegradable process, of which the advantages are as follows, i.e., 1) water consumption for processing is low, 2) the fibers obtained are strongly resistant to insects, and 3) the fibers obtained are biodegradable.

Thus, fibers from Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. that are obtained by processing are very environmentally friendly due to the use of renewable materials, conforming to the concept of eco-friendly products [38]. The results of this research can therefore facilitate and encourage the development of natural fiber production processes using eco-friendly methods. Farmers can learn about fiber processing and production through self-learning. As this process mainly relies on basic technology, farmers will be able to process/transform their desirable fibers easily.

Moreover, the entire production process does not cause any negative impacts on the natural environment so that Thailand’s local nature and the global environment can recover as a result of the cooperation from all of us in the reduction of negative impacts on the global ecosystems. The proposed processing method is intended to help manage sustainable production chains for Thailand’s and the global textile industry. To do so, what is to be focused on includes the factors affecting the chance of success that farmers will pay attention to in order to take part in the primary stages of the production process. These factors must provide opportunities to utilize these fibers in the designs for producing eco-friendly textile products and also facilitate sustainability for farmers in terms of promoting the utilization of agricultural wastes in farming areas to bring value added, conforming to the concept of sustainable circular farming for 1) a sustainable agro-industry, 2) a sustainable textile industry, and 3) a sustainable green industry.

In this research, an experiment to process fibers from agricultural wastes in farming areas by eco-friendly methods was conducted. The fibers developed can be applied in the textile industry in various forms, e.g., woven fabrics, clothing, and home textiles. The body of knowledge from this research can promote sustainability within the textile industry, which is currently regarded as following a detrimental fast fashion trend. Designers and textile entrepreneurs can select the fibers from Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. to apply as a material for clothing production that meets consumer needs worldwide. Using these natural fibers with low impacts on the world and the environment is one way to mitigate global warming. In the future, if the properties of the fibers from Sansevieria stuckyi God.-Leb. are analyzed in more detail, together with the development of fiber improvement methods that blend these fibers with natural fibers from other plants, the mixed fibers obtained will possess high efficiency and adequate properties that can be applied in the production processes of textile industrial plants.