Biodegradable materials

Cotton (from Arabic qutn) is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus Gossypium in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose and may contain minor percentages of waxes, fats, pectins, and water. Under natural conditions, cotton bolls facilitate the dispersal of the seeds.

Flax, also known as common flax or linseed, is a flowering plant, Linum usitatissimum, in the family Linaceae. It is cultivated as a food and fiber crop in regions of the world with temperate climates.

thumb|Bundles of rice straw thumb|Pile of stacked small rectangular straw bales sheltered under a clear tarpaulin thumb|Straw lines and a Combine Harvester|combine harvester Straw is an agricultural byproduct consisting of the dry stalks of cereal plants after the grain and chaff have been removed. It makes up about half of the yield by weight of cereal crops such as barley, oats, rice, rye and wheat. It has a number of different uses, including fuel, livestock bedding and fodder, thatching and basket making.

thumb|right|Bee hive wax complex thumb|right|Beeswax cake thumb|Commercial honeycomb foundation, made by pressing beeswax between patterned metal rollers

thumb|Jute fiber thumb|A jute field in Bangladesh thumb|Jute rope

Abacá ( ; ), also known as Manila hemp, is a species of banana, Musa textilis, endemic to the Philippines. The plant grows to , and averages about . The plant has great economic importance, being harvested for its fiber extracted from the leaf-stems.

thumb|upright=1.35|A wicker basket filled with apples

thumb|right|Stover with some snow cover thumb|right|Stover (foreground), unharvested corn (background) Stover are the leaves and stalks of field crops, such as corn (maize), sorghum or soybean that are commonly left in a field after harvesting the grain. It is similar to straw, the residue left after any cereal grain or grass has been harvested at maturity for its seed. It can be directly grazed by cattle or dried for use as fodder. Stover has attracted some attention as a potential fuel source, and as biomass for fermentation or as a feedstock for cellulosic ethanol production. Stover from va

simple battery made with a lemon for educational purposes

Packing material

textile fabric impregnated with beeswax, impermeable to water

sustainable packaging is an integral part of the "circular economy". Eco-friendly packaging uses raw materials and then restores them to their origins, minimizing waste of precious resources – like water and energy – necessary for their production