Fique

Fique is a natural fibre that grows in the leaves of the fique plant, Furcraea andina, a xerophytic monocot native to Andean regions of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. From there its range was extended to Venezuela and the east coast of Brazil. Common names include fique, cabuya, pita, penca, penco, maguey, cabui, chuchao and coquiza. The fique plant is often confused with the agave plant. The differences are that the agave leaves are stiff, with a strong spine at the tip, while the Fique plant leaves are droopy and lack a spine. The pre-Columbian inhabitants extracted and used the fique fibs for several centuries before the arrival of Spanish conquerors to make garments, ropes, hammocks and many other applications. In the 17th century, Dutch colonists carried the plant from their Brazilian colonies in Pernambuco to the island of Mauritius. The native inhabitants of the island learned to use the fibre and called it “caraguatá-acú” “croatá-acu” or “gravata”-acú”. The fibre was also introduced to St. Helena, India, Sri Lanka, Algeria, Madagascar, East Africa, Mexico and Costa Rica. In the 18th century, in Dagua, Valle del Cauca, Colombia, the priest Feliciano Villalobos started the first rope and wrapping materials manufacturing industry; his products were made of fique. In 1880 the Colombian government reported a yearly production of three million kilograms of fibres, the exportation to Venezuela of two million, the fabrication of five millions pairs of alpargatas and four million metres of rope. Between 1970 and 1975 the fique industry suffered a crisis brought about by the development of polypropylene, which costs less and is produced faster. Today, fique is considered the Colombian national fibre and is used in the fabrication of ethnic products, Colombian handicrafts and recently (since July 2007) has been used for the heat protectors (handmade in Barichara) placed around the Colombian coffee cups sold in the Juan Valdez coffee shops worldwide.