From Plant to Fiber｜Allo Fiber Processing

Allo does not become yarn simply by harvesting the plant. The outer bark is stripped from the stems gathered in the mountains, then dried, boiled, washed, beaten, treated with a mineral powder, and dried again. Only after these stages does it become fiber suitable for spinning.

In the Kulung Rai village we visited, each of these processes is still carried out by hand.

Harvesting a Year’s Supply

Allo is mainly harvested around December. Plants growing wild in the mountains are cut by hand, and approximately one year’s supply is gathered at a time. About 10 cm of the stem is left at the base so that the plant can be harvested again from the same place the following year.

Stripping and Drying the Bark

The outer bark is stripped from the harvested stems and thoroughly dried in the sun. Once dried, it can be stored, allowing only the amount needed to be taken out and processed according to daily life and workload.

Boiling with Wood Ash

The dried bark is boiled with wood ash for about three to four hours. The alkalinity of the ash helps break down the plant tissue, making the fibers easier to separate.

Washing and Beating

The boiled fibers are washed in the river and repeatedly beaten with a wooden stick. Washing removes remaining ash and plant matter, while beating loosens the stiff fibers. Boiling, washing, and beating are repeated several times while checking the condition of the fiber.

During our visit, the process was demonstrated near a well for documentation, but the washing and beating are normally carried out by the river.

Applying Camelo and Drying

After washing and beating, a powdered mineral known locally as Camelo is applied to the fibers. Camelo is primarily composed of mica. It is left on the fibers rather than rinsed away, and the fibers are dried in the sun.

This treatment makes the fibers softer and more supple and lightens their colour. Once dry, they are beaten again with a wooden stick to remove the Camelo remaining on the surface.

After these stages, the fibers are ready to be spun by hand into a continuous yarn.