Raffia
Also called: PP raffia, woven sacks, HDPE raffia, tape yarn, woven fabric
Raffia is woven fabric made from stretched PP or HDPE tapes, used for sacks and bags, and a large source of recycled PP in India.
Raffia refers to flat tapes produced by extruding PP or HDPE film, slitting it into narrow strips and stretching them for strength. The tapes are woven into fabric for woven sacks, bags, tarpaulins and big bags. In recycling, raffia means both this product and the scrap generated from it.
Recycled forms traded
- Post-industrial tape and fabric waste from raffia plants.
- Used woven sacks from cement, fertiliser, grain and sugar packaging.
- Raffia agglomerate and recycled PP granules, often called raffia grade.
Why it matters when buying recycled plastic
- Raffia often contains calcium carbonate filler; check ash content.
- Laminated or coated sacks carry a PE layer and printing ink, which can affect processing.
- Used sacks may carry residue from contents such as cement or chemicals; ask about the source and washing.
- For making new tapes, the recycled share must be controlled, as tensile strength is critical.
Common uses
Recycled raffia PP goes into moulded household items, buckets, pipes, furniture, and a portion of new raffia tape production.