Seagrass Cyperus malaccensis grows in the tropical climates of China and Vietnam This seagrass can be recognised by its long strap-like leaves that are 1-2cm wide and can grow up to 2 metres long. The plant's leaves are harvested by hand, dried and hand spun into cords before woven into flooring. The leaves have a smooth plastic-like skin, a property that give seagrass flooring its resistance to stains from spills.

The seagrass plant is fast growing and abundant and form the large meadows in tidal zones, bays, and lagoons. The density, above ground biomass, leaf growth rate and leaf production of seagrass beds depend on seasons in year and the environmental conditions. Growth is high in the dry, sunny season (March-October) and often low in the rainy season (November-January).

Seagrass is not a cultivated crop that requires fertilizers and pesticides to grow rapidly and abundantly.

Mountaingrass (hemp) Corchorus capsularis L. Harvesting is done by cutting the plants at or close to the ground level The harvested plants are left in field for 2 to 3 days for the leaves to shed. Next, the plants are tied into bundles, and the branching tops are lopped off to rot in the field.

The bundles are placed side by side in retting water, usually in 2 to 3 layers and are tied together. They are covered with water-hyacinth or any weed that does not release tannin and iron. The float is then weighed down with seasoned logs or with concrete blocks or are kept submerged (at least 10 cm below the surface of the water) with bamboo-crating. Gently flowing, fairly deep, clear and soft water is ideal for retting. Retting is a microbiological process and, therefore, the end-point is determined by inspecting a few plants each day from the tenth day onwards. If fiber slips out easily from the wood on pressure from the thumb and fingers, retting is considered complete.

The fiber, when extracted separately from each reed (stem) with fingers, is sleek, clean and free from entanglement. The fiber is then washed in clean water, wrung and eventually spread to dry, preferably in shade or mild sun.

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