Small human hair rugs have the base of plants, helping to retain the moisture of the orchard plantations in Chile, which has been facing drought for years.
Hair, which is transformed into composite mulching leaves and discs by mechanical weaving, reduces direct evaporation by 71% and saves up to 48% irrigation water, according to the Matter of Trust Chile Foundation, which manufactures hair rugs.
“The hair is very interesting. It contains nutrients, nitrogen, calcium, sulfur and organic matter that are added to the ground, improving it and increasing plant growth and agricultural production by at least 30%,” said Mattia Carenini, Foundation’s executive president.
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Farmer Maria Salazar said her hair helped get excellent yield from the lemon plantations in Taltal, about 900 kilometers north of the Chilean capital, in the arid Antofagasta region.
“The hair rugs are a benefit to the system and the water stress we face,” said Salazar. “When providing shadow, they maintain a lot of moisture and prevent the sun’s rays from evapoing the low water we have.”
The foundation was created in 2020 to promote conservation and regeneration through creative use of waste. The hair comes from 350 halls and ten petsar animals in Chile, and about 2% of the hair used in the treadmills come from pets.
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Other foundation products include a liquid fertilizer made of recycled hair and a hair -based tampon to recover oils, metals and other water contaminants.
