Sisal Fiber Grades: 7 Essential Things Buyers Must Know

Sisal fiber grades describe the length, colour and cleanliness of the fiber in a bale, and they decide what the fiber can be used for. This guide explains the sisal fiber grades exported from Tanzania and Kenya, from top line fiber down to UG, SSUG and tow, and sets out seven essential things a buyer must know before ordering a container.

It is written for cordage and twine makers, gypsum and plaster producers, carpet weavers, pulp mills, buffing cloth makers and traders. For current availability, see our sisal fiber product page.

Sisal fiber grades at a glance

• Top line grades: No. 1, A and 3L, long, white and clean, for carpets and fine cordage.
• Middle grades: No. 2 and 3S, good colour at medium length.
• UG: the standard export grade for twine, rope and plaster.
• SSUG: lower-cost line fiber for padding, pulp and basic cordage.
• Tow 1 and Tow 2: short brushing fiber for padding, buffing and pulp.
• Bales: about 250 kg, pressed and tied.
• Moisture: 13% maximum at shipment.

The sections below explain how sisal fiber grades are produced, how to choose between them and how to write them into a contract.

1. What sisal fiber is and where it comes from

Sisal is a hard natural fiber taken from the leaves of Agave sisalana, a spiky plant that thrives in hot, dry country. Each leaf holds about a thousand fibers running along its length. The plant is harvested leaf by leaf over a life of seven to ten years.

East Africa has grown sisal for well over a century. Tanzania, with its estates in Tanga, Morogoro and Kilimanjaro, and Kenya, with estates near the coast and in the Rift Valley, are among the world’s leading producers of quality fiber, alongside Brazil. East African sisal is produced mainly on estates with mechanical decortication, which gives long, clean, evenly graded fiber.

The fiber is strong, stiff, resistant to salt water and completely biodegradable. Those properties explain both its traditional uses in rope and twine and its newer uses in plaster reinforcement and composites.

2. How sisal is processed before grading

Understanding the process makes the sisal fiber grades easier to follow, because each grade reflects what happened to the fiber on the way to the bale.

1. Cutting. Mature leaves are cut by hand and taken to the factory the same day.
2. Decortication. A machine crushes and scrapes the leaf, stripping away the pulp and leaving the fiber. Water washes the fiber as it runs.
3. Drying. Wet fiber is hung on lines in the sun. Good drying gives a creamy white colour; rain or slow drying causes staining.
4. Brushing. Dry fiber is passed through a rotating brush that straightens it and removes short fiber and dust. The short fiber that falls out is tow.
5. Grading. Workers sort the brushed fiber by length, colour and cleanliness.
6. Baling. Each grade is pressed into bales, tied and marked with the grade and estate.

Fiber that is decorticated cleanly, dried quickly and brushed well lands in the top grades. Fiber that is shorter, stained or carries bits of leaf tissue is placed in the lower grades.

3. The East African sisal fiber grades

Tanzania and Kenya use a common family of grade marks. The table summarises the sisal fiber grades from highest to lowest. Length limits are the ones generally quoted in the trade and can vary slightly between sellers, so confirm them in your contract.

Our regular stock is in the three grades that move in the largest volume: UG, SSUG and Tow 1. The top line grades can be sourced to order.

4. UG, SSUG and Tow 1 in detail

UG (Under Grade)

UG is line fiber of at least about 60 cm that did not qualify for the numbered grades. It may be slightly discoloured, contain a little bark or have been cleaned less perfectly, but it is still strong, spinnable fiber. UG is the workhorse of the sisal fiber grades. It is the standard raw material for agricultural twine, general-purpose rope and gypsum plaster reinforcement, and it is the grade most international buyers ask for first.

SSUG (Sub-Standard Under Grade)

SSUG is line fiber with heavier defects: more staining, more adhering tissue, sometimes tangled or harsh fiber. Strength is lower and less consistent. It is used where appearance does not matter and cost does: padding, mattress and upholstery fill, lower-grade cordage, pulp and some plaster work.

Tow 1

Tow is not line fiber. It is the short fiber removed by the brushing machine. Tow 1 is the cleaner, lighter-coloured tow. It cannot be spun into strong rope, but it works well in upholstery padding, buffing and polishing cloth, specialty pulp, non-woven mats and as a reinforcing filler.

5. Seven essential things buyers must know

1. The grade mark is not a full specification. Sisal fiber grades are judged by eye. Always add measurable limits to the contract: minimum length, moisture and bale weight.
2. Moisture matters. Sisal should be shipped at 13% moisture or less. Damp fiber weighs more, heats in the container and can arrive mouldy.
3. Colour depends on the season. Fiber dried in the rainy months is more likely to be stained. If colour is important, say so and ask when the fiber was produced.
4. Length drives spinning performance. Twine and rope makers should fix a minimum length and a limit on short fiber.
5. Bale weight varies by origin. East African bales are commonly about 250 kg; some sellers press 200 kg or other sizes. Check before planning your warehouse handling.
6. Samples settle arguments. Agree a reference sample and keep half each. It is the simplest way to define an eye-judged grade.
7. Sisal is a fire risk. Dry fiber burns readily. It should be stored away from sparks and loaded in clean, dry containers.

6. Technical properties of sisal fiber

Engineers and product designers ask for numbers. Natural fibers vary from leaf to leaf, so the figures below are typical ranges from published testing, not guaranteed values for a given lot.

Sisal’s combination of high strength and low density is the reason it is used to reinforce plaster, cement board and plastic composites as well as in traditional cordage.

7. Which sisal fiber grades suit which use?

If you are unsure, tell us what you make. Matching the grade to the process usually saves more money than negotiating the price of the wrong grade.

8. Bales, container loads and shipping

Sisal is light for its volume, so containers fill up before they reach their weight limit. The figures below are for the common 250 kg hydraulically pressed bale.

• 20-foot container: about 40–44 bales, roughly 10–11 tonnes.
• 40-foot high-cube container: about 88–96 bales, roughly 22–24 tonnes.

Because freight is charged per container, the 40-foot high cube usually gives the lowest freight cost per tonne. Bales are tied with sisal twine or strapped with steel or polypropylene bands and marked with the grade.

Tanzanian sisal ships from Tanga and Dar es Salaam; Kenyan sisal ships from Mombasa. We quote EXW, FOB or CIF. If you are comparing offers, read EXW, FOB or CIF explained first, and see our shipping and logistics page for ports and timing.

9. Documents and import requirements

Sisal is a plant product, so most countries treat it as a regulated article for plant health. A standard shipment includes:

• commercial invoice and packing list showing bales and grade;
• certificate of origin;
• phytosanitary certificate;
• fumigation certificate where the destination requires it;
• weight and quality certificate, from an independent inspector if requested;
• bill of lading.

The customs code for raw sisal falls under heading 5305 of the Harmonized System. Duty rates depend on the destination and on any trade preference that applies to Tanzanian or Kenyan goods; your customs broker can confirm. Our export market guides summarise the position for the main regions.

10. Who buys East African sisal?

Demand for the different sisal fiber grades comes from several directions. China is a major buyer of line fiber for cordage, carpets and buffing cloth. Saudi Arabia, the Gulf states, Morocco, Nigeria and other countries with a strong gypsum plaster tradition buy UG and SSUG for construction. Spain, Portugal and other European countries buy for twine, carpets and specialty uses.

Interest has also grown among manufacturers looking for natural alternatives to synthetic fibers. Sisal is renewable, needs little irrigation or chemical input and breaks down naturally at the end of its life. The Food and Agriculture Organization publishes background on sisal and other hard fibers through its work on natural fibers.

11. Pricing and how to compare offers

Sisal has no exchange price. Prices are negotiated between buyers and sellers and move with the crop, freight rates and demand from the main importing countries. Three rules help when comparing quotations for sisal fiber grades.

1. Compare like with like. A UG offer and an SSUG offer are not the same product. Neither is a 200 kg bale and a 250 kg bale.
2. Compare on the same delivery term. Convert every offer to FOB or to CIF your port before deciding.
3. Price the fiber you can use. A cheaper grade with more waste in your process can cost more per usable tonne.

For how we quote and contract, see our trade terms.

12. How we check sisal fiber grades before loading

Because sisal fiber grades are assessed by eye at the estate, we repeat the check before a container is packed.

1. Bale marks. Every bale is checked for the correct grade mark and estate mark, and counted against the packing list.
2. Opening sample bales. A number of bales are opened at random. Fiber is pulled from the centre as well as the outside, because a bale can hide poorer fiber inside.
3. Length. Hanks are laid against a measure to confirm the minimum length for the grade.
4. Colour and cleanliness. Fiber is compared with the agreed reference sample for colour, staining and adhering leaf tissue.
5. Moisture. A moisture meter reading is taken in several bales; damp bales are set aside.
6. Weight. Bales are weighed and the total net weight recorded.
7. Container. The container is inspected for cleanliness, dryness and holes before loading, and the seal number is recorded.

Buyers are welcome to send their own inspector to witness these steps. See our quality and compliance page.

13. Storing sisal at your factory

Sisal keeps well if it stays dry. Store bales under a roof, on pallets or dunnage, with space for air to circulate. Keep them away from damp walls and floors, because wet fiber darkens and weakens.

Fire precautions matter. Keep bales clear of welding, electrical panels and smoking areas, leave access aisles between stacks, and make sure fire extinguishers and hydrants are close by. Insurers often set limits on stack height and block size for baled fiber, so check your policy.

Use the oldest bales first. Well-stored fiber of all sisal fiber grades holds its strength for a long time, but colour slowly yellows with age and light.

14. Sustainability of sisal

Buyers increasingly ask about the environmental profile of the materials they use. Sisal has a good story to tell.

• The plant is a hardy perennial that grows on dry land with little or no irrigation.
• It needs few pesticides, and estates commonly return decortication waste to the fields as mulch.
• The fiber is fully biodegradable and can replace polypropylene twine, glass fiber and other synthetics in some uses.
• Leaf waste can be used for biogas, animal feed and compost.

If you need formal evidence for your customers, tell us which standard or declaration they require and we will check what the supplying estate can provide.

15. Common mistakes when ordering sisal fiber grades

• Ordering by price alone. The cheapest of the sisal fiber grades is not the cheapest fiber if a third of it ends up as waste on your line.
• Not agreeing a sample. Without a reference sample, “UG” can mean different things to buyer and seller.
• Overlooking bale weight. Handling equipment sized for 100 kg bales will struggle with 250 kg bales.
• Booking the wrong container. A 20-foot box holds less than half the tonnage of a 40-foot high cube, so freight per tonne is much higher.
• Forgetting fumigation. Some destinations require a fumigation certificate; arranging it after loading is difficult.

Frequently asked questions about sisal fiber grades

What does UG mean in sisal?

Under Grade. It is line fiber of about 60 cm and longer that has small colour or cleaning defects. It is the most commonly exported of the sisal fiber grades.

What is the difference between UG and SSUG?

SSUG allows more staining, more leaf residue and less uniform fiber than UG. It costs less and is used where appearance and peak strength are not critical.

What is sisal tow?

Short fiber removed during brushing. Tow 1 is the cleaner grade; Tow 2 is darker and dustier.

How heavy is a bale of sisal?

Commonly about 250 kg in East Africa. Confirm the bale weight with each offer.

How much sisal fits in a container?

About 10–11 tonnes in a 20-foot container and 22–24 tonnes in a 40-foot high cube, using 250 kg bales.

Is sisal available all year?

Yes. Leaves are cut throughout the year, although drying is easier and colour is better in the dry months.

Which grade is used for gypsum plaster?

Mostly UG, and SSUG for less demanding work.

Can I get a sample?

Yes. We send grade samples by courier so that you can agree a reference before ordering.

Do sisal fiber grades from Tanzania and Kenya differ?

Both countries use the same family of grade marks, and estate-produced fiber from either origin is comparable in quality. Differences between individual estates in soil, drying conditions and brushing are usually greater than differences between the two countries, which is another reason to buy against an agreed sample.

Summary

Sisal fiber grades run from No. 1 and 3L at the top, through UG and SSUG, to Tow 1 and Tow 2. UG is the standard grade for twine, rope and plaster; SSUG and tow serve padding, pulp and buffing. Because grading is done by eye, a good contract adds length, moisture and bale weight, and refers to an agreed sample.

Tell us your application, grade and tonnage from the sisal fiber page or the contact page, and we will reply with availability and the current price.