7. Conclusion

This article takes a broad look at natural fibers that can be used to reinforce polymers, more specifically plant fibers and silk-like animal fibers. Today's available fibers are plant-based and come from a variety of crops. In Europe, flax and hemp are the main crops.

The choice of natural fibers is not simply a matter of substituting synthetic fibers, as these have specific features that it is interesting to valorize, for example: a renewable origin, good durability, biodegradation capacity in a compost situation, significant specific mechanical performance for certain fibers, low energy requirements for their production, and the possibility of incinerating them at the end of their life to recover energy. Their photosynthetic growth, renewable nature and CO ₂ storage capacities generally help to reduce environmental...