GRADE 3L

Length of fibre should be from 90cm (3feet) upwards. Colour of fibre should be a mixture of whitish and yellowish. It should be free of defective decortication and be properly brushed. Free of undecorticated barks, harshness, knots, tousled and bunchy ends. It should also be free of tows.

GRADE R

Length of fibre should be from 60cm (2 feet). Colour of fibre may be brownish and spotted due to damaged leaf or greenish due to insufficient water during decortication. Black coloured fibre is not allowed in this grade because this shows that it is in the process of rotting (or rotten). Moreover fibre should be properly brushed, free of undecorticated barks, harshness, knots, tousled and bunchy ends. It should be free of tows.

GRADE D

Most fibre should be 60cm (2 feet) or longer in length, with fibres ranging from blemished to very blemished. Some undecorticated parts. Some fibre measuring less than 60cm.

ETOUPE NO.1 (TOW NO.1)

This is fibre which has been cut and thrown behind the brushing machines during the process of brushing. Colour of fibre should be creamy white to cream. It should be free of undecorticated barks, knots, dusts and sweepings. It should not contain fibre of other mentioned grades.

CARDED ETOUPE

Carded means having passed through a carding machine to eliminate the majority of the fluff from the brushing. For the most part fibre is white but shorter than E1 Tow.