Making cordage from backyard plants is a skill that enriches our appreciation for the natural world. This activity is not just fun and rewarding, but it teaches patience, respect for natural resources, and the ingenuity to utilise available materials effectively. Many plants in your backyard contain fibrous material that can be turned into strong, durable cordage when processed correctly. Pictured above is what I made using my homegrown Ramie plant, which some use as a food colouring agent or to make dishes like Hakka Ramie Leaf dumplings. If you live in a tropical climate, plants such as sea hibiscus, jute, kenaf, banana, bamboo and sugarcane are excellent sources of fibre after retting. The long, tough stalks or bark of these plants are what you are after. Some other plant materials that make good cordage include pineapple leaves and Mother-in-law’s tongue, where its fibres can be extracted using water retting or the scraping method. Corn husks, once dried can also be used to make cordage by tearing them into strips and twisted (see below). Should you live in a subtropical or temperate climate, some other plants you can consider include Stinging nettle (stalks), Yucca (leaves), Willow (bark) Dandelion (stalks), Milkweed (stems), […]