The relatively higher costs of synthetic fibres (glass, carbon, kevlar fibre) used in fibre reinforced composite materials make it desirable to investigate natural fibres as a source of possible reinforcement in low-cost applications. Natural fibres are abundant and represent a
significant cost reduction compared to wholly synthetic composite materials. It is possible to make hybrid natural and synthetic fibre reinforced composites by using fewer amounts of expensive reinforcements with larger amounts of natural fibres, thereby reducing the cost of the material.