Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes): A Sustainable Fibre Resource for Textiles, Composites, and Environmental Applications – A Comprehensive Review

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is one of the most aggressive aquatic weeds, causing serious environmental, ecological, and economic problems across tropical and subtropical regions. Despite these challenges, its rapid growth rate, high cellulose content, and renewable nature make it an attractive raw material for sustainable textiles, polymer composites, and environmental remediation. This review critically examines the origin, distribution, chemical composition, fibre extraction techniques, textile and composite applications, and phytoremediation potential of water hyacinth. The paper is structured as a review and highlights research gaps and prospects for large-scale industrial utilization.