From tropical vine to engineered material: A perspective on Manau rattan fiber as a strategic fiber for sustainable composites

Manau rattan ( Calamus manan ), a climbing palm native to South-east Asia, is emerging as a promising reinforcement for fiber-reinforced polymer composites. Single-fiber characterization reports tensile strength of 273 ± 53 MPa, elongation of 9–19%, and density near 0.6 g·cm −3 . Thermal stability up to 333°C confirms its compatibility with common polymer matrices. These values compare favorably with conventional fibers such as jute and hemp while offering a unique vascular bundle architecture that combines tensile strength with flexural compliance. Composite-level investigations further highlight this potential. In PVA matrices, rattan fibers achieved tensile strength of 48.7 MPa and flexural strength of 45.7 MPa at 24 wt% loading. Epoxy composites reached 47.5 MPa tensile strength and 121 MPa flexural strength at 18 wt% loading. Hybrid PLA–rattan systems, particularly in blends with vetiver, reported a Young’s modulus exceeding 2000 MPa, underscoring balanced stiffness and toughness. These results support potential applications in automotive interiors, architectural panels, and lightweight consumer products. Despite these advantages, rattan lacks standardized ISO or ASTM testing frameworks, limiting industrial uptake. Progress requires mechanized processing, resin compatibility studies, and optimization of surface treatments such as alkali and silane functionalization. Manau rattan thus stands as a renewable, structurally relevant, and ecologically efficient fiber with strong potential for next-generation sustainable composites.