Arellano University

Juan Sumulong Campus

2600 Legarda St. Sampaloc Manila, 1008 Metro Manila

“The Effectiveness of Paper-Bag made from Banana Pseudo-Stem Fibers

for Grade 12 STEM Students of Arellano University - Juan Sumulong

Campus”

Members:

Barangan, John Bill M.

Bitenio, Shawn Rhenzo M.

Castro, Hero

Jarabe, Leonillo III O.

Viloria, Michael Cedrick

Dela Peña, Piamae Joy C.

Eugenio, Julie Rhay D.

Torres, Rolly Ann

GROUP 2
 INTRODUCTION

In our current situation, the problem of waste pollution in our country is getting worse.

As a consequence, this may affect us in various ways, mostly in our natural resources. The

researchers aim to start a way in helping the country by using plant fibers to create an economic-

friendly product that will reduce waste. The plant fibers that will be used are Banana stem

fibers, which are the best and most commendable ingredient for producing economic-friendly

bags that is unable to harm our nature.

According to National Geographic (2022), Paper bags have some advantages over plastic

bags when it comes to sustainability. They are easier to recycle, and, because they are

biodegradable, they can be used for purposes like composting.

Plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental issues, as rapidly

increasing production of disposable plastic products overwhelms the world’s ability to deal with

them. Plastic pollution is most visible in developing Asian and African nations, where garbage

collection systems are often inefficient or nonexistent. But the developed world, especially in

countries with low recycling rates, also has trouble properly collecting discarded plastics. Plastic

trash has become so ubiquitous it has prompted efforts to write a global treaty negotiated by the

United Nations. Due to these situations, researchers have decided to create an alternative to paper

bags that can help us to maintain the good quality of our nature, which is the main source of our

life.

The pseudo-stem is a part of the banana plant that looks like a trunk, which consists of a

soft central core and tightly wrapped up to 25 leaf sheaths. These leaf sheaths unwrap from the
stem and transform to recognizable banana leaves when they have matured. The height of banana

plant can reach approximately 7.5 m and since the leaf sheaths grow from the base of the plant,

some of the leaves, on the inner side, have approximately the same length of the tree. Whereas

the outer side leaves, which grow later, are shorter. The width of the banana leaves can reach

approximately 30 cm (Subagyo, A., Chafidz, A. 2018).

Banana stems have historically been used as a source of fiber, with early evidence around

the 13th century. But its demand started to fade after those convenient fibers, including such

cotton and silk, was already provided. Textile production processes are now shaping the concept

of environmentally friendly and sustainable development. These ideas are not very new to the

textile industry. Progress has been made in improving a range of natural and environmentally

friendly textile processes. Numerous efforts have been made in science and technology to

develop environmentally friendly processes to maintain a relationship with the ecosystem.

Alternative materials should be considered, however. Natural fibers have significant benefits,

like low density, effectiveness and physical characteristics, and greater disposability. Banana

pseudo-stem is a waste material after harvesting. Banana fiber is a natural fiber. It can be

produced very cheaply from waste materials left out of the field after harvesting. As a source of

wealth from the waste concept, banana fiber is a major alternative to the pulp industry. Raw

materials are freely available. The banana fiber project creates many opportunities for

employment in the rural and urban sectors. Banana fiber is environmentally friendly and

biodegradable compared to all other synthetic fibers. Mechanical extraction should be used to

compare the extraction of fiber. Banana fiber is currently a waste product of banana cultivation

and is either not properly used or partially used. The extraction of fiber from the pseudo-stem is
not a common practice and a large part of the stem is not used for the production of fibers.

(Sentones, J. 2020)

The study of The Effectiveness of Paper Bag made from Banana Pseudo- Stem Fibers

will focus on giving us alternative product to use. Paper bag is a hundred percent better than

plastic bags, this can lower our need for single-use plastic that can cause waste pollution. Aside

from being economic friendly, paper bag is also budget-friendly, since it is recyclable and eco-

friendly. Thus, the benefits of this made us come up with the idea of making an experiment using

a plant fiber that can produce a paper that can be turned into a paper bag.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study aims to determine how effective and good the quality of a Paper Bag made

from Banana Pseudo-Stem fibers for Grade 12 students of Arellano – Juan Sumulong Campus.

This research sought to answer the following questions.

1. The qualities of paper bag made from banana pseudo-stem fibers in terms of:

1.1. Texture

1.2. Appearance

1.3. Durability

2. Is paper bag made of banana pseudo-stem fibers can be a substitute to a commercial

paper bags?
 3. How effective is banana pseudo-stem fiber as a Paper bag?

HYPOTHESIS

H0: Banana Pseudo-Stem fibers are not effective materials in making a Paper bag

H1: Banana Pseudo-Stem fibers are effective materials in making a Paper bag

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This research should serve as how the waste of Banana Pseudo-Stem Fibers make a Paper

Bag in Arellano University Juan Sumulong Campus. The findings of this research benefit the

students of Arellano University, the results will provide the students of Arellano to have a

knowledge of how effective is the Banana Pseudo-Stem Fiber as Paper bag. At the end of the

study the students will know how the waste banana pseudo-stem fiber makes a Paper bag.

This research aims to provide the benefits and knowledge of Paper Bag made by Banana

Pseudo-Stem Fibers for the following:

Students – It helps the students to have an idea on how can they use Banana Pseudo-

Stems and to gain some knowledge on making paper bags.

 Teachers – It helps the teachers to easily discuss on how can they use Banana Pseudo-

Stems for their students.

To the Future Researchers – This study will serve as a reference for future researchers

on the subject research. This will serve as a guide to further developing the research with the

connection to the variables used.

SCOPE AND DELIMITATION

The study will focus on how Effective can a Paper Bag made of Banana Pseudo-Stem

fibers to be compared to commercial paper bags. It also focuses on the making of Paper bag from

Banana Pseudo-Stem fibers to make use of waste banana stems. The researcher exerted effort to

determine the effectiveness and efficiency of Paper Bag made of Banana Pseudo-Stem fibers

compared to commercial paper bags. This study will be conducted during academic year 2022-

2023. The participants will be in Grade 12 STEM strand of Arellano University Juan Sumulong

Campus we will need one hundred (100) respondents to know how Effective can a Paper bag

made of Banana Pseudo-Stem can be. The focus of this study is to identify how effectively and

how good the quality of a Paper bag made out of Banana Pseudo-Stem fibers.

The researchers limited the focus of their study about how Effective the Banana Pseudo-

Stem fibers as a Paper Bag compare to the commercial Paper Bags. The only information the

researchers can provide are the effectiveness and how good the quality of a Paper bag made from
Banana Pseudo-Stem fibers. The researchers cannot go in-depth with their study because of not

having enough equipment. Topics that are not in the scope will not be included.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Table A. Paper Bag Table B. Students

Figure 2: Independent and Dependent Variable

Table A shows the independent variable of the study, which is the Paper Bag made of

Banana Pseudo-Stem fibers. Nowadays, people see banana stem fiber as a waste since they don't

have any knowledge on the uses of this. Over the years, people around the world consume

banana fruit approximately 11.9 Kgs per year. And since banana plants only fruit once in their

lifetime before they die, tones of banana stems are thrown away each year. So, we need a new

way of using that can lessen the waste of banana stems and that is a paper bag. Paper bags are

seen to be helpful to the people and the environment, since they are lessening the usage of plastic

which is considered dangerous for our environment because of the plastic waste.
 Table B shows the dependent variable of the study, which is the students. Today, student

always buy things anywhere. They pretty much use plastic bags to store their purchases since

they are sturdy especially when carrying heavy things. However, later on this plastic bags will

only be thrown by the students. So, in this study the student is the one who will determine if the

paper bag made of banana pseudo-stem fibers are effective, efficient and helpful for the students

of Arellano Juan University Juan Sumulong Campus. This student will be the key to have a

conclusion on this study.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Banana Stem is a waste material after the harvest. Banana fiber is a natural fiber. It can

be produced very cheaply from the waste materials left out in the field after harvest. Banana

fibers have great potentialities for papermaking that can be used to make an eco-bag because of

their high alpha-cellulose and lignin content. The natural fibers are the chemical composition of

cellulose and lignin. These fibers have excellent tensile strength; they are strong fibers. They are

biodegradable and have no negative effect on the environment hence categorized eco-friendly

fiber. Over the years the global consumption of banana fruit has quickly outpaced the usage of

banana fibers in industrial textile production. On average, one person consumes approximately

11.9 Kgs of bananas per year. But more than a billion tons of banana tree stems are thrown away

each year, as banana plants only fruit once in their lifetime before they die.

In my theory I believe that Banana Pseudo-Stem fibers can make a good quality paper

bag. The process leads to have a decent but cheap paper that can be turn into a paper bag that can

aid the problems of farmers that throws the banana stem after the collection of fruit. Historically,
banana stems had been used as a source of fiber with the earliest evidence around the 13th

century. But its popularity was faded after other convenient fibers such as cotton and silk were

made available. (Deka, P. 2014)

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

Foreign Literature

Natural fibers of plant and animal origin have been extensively researched over the last

two decades and are gaining popularity over synthetic counterparts due to their biodegradability,

renewability, lightweight, and superior biochemical and strength properties. According to Arya,

N. et. al. (2020), Banana fiber is a natural fiber finds applications in various fields, from

agriculture to automotive. It is used in the development of various types of products such as bag,

rope, card age, sanitary napkin etc. Thus, environmental friendly material has gained critical

significance because of the need to protect our climate.

According to Hendriksz, V. (2017) Banana fiber, also known as musa fibre is one of the

world’s strongest natural fibers. Biodegradable, the natural fiber is made from the stem of the

banana tree and is incredibly durable. Over the years the global consumption of banana fruit has

quickly outpaced the usage of banana fibers in industrial textile production. On average, one

person consumes approximately 11.9 kgs of bananas per year. But more than a billion tonnes of

banana tree stems are thrown away each year, as banana plants only fruit once in their lifetime

before they die.

 According to Arafat, K. et. al. (2018), Banana fiber is a natural fiber with high strength,

which can be blended easily with cotton fiber or synthetic fiber to produce composite material. In

the fiber extraction process, a substantial amount of lignocellulosic wastes are generated,

disposal of which creates problem in the adjacent area.

Extracted banana fiber (EBF) and waste banana fiber (WBF) were characterized in terms

of chemical and morphological properties to produce handmade paper. WBF was characterized

with lower α–cellulose, lignin content and longer fiber length. Pulping of EBF and WBF was

carried out with varying active alkali and cooking time at boiling temperature. Pulp yield of

WBF was 35.9% after 120 min of cooking with 8% alkali charge. In the unbeaten state the

degrees of drainage resistance i.e. SR values were 65 and 71 for EBF and WBF, respectively.

The tensile, burst and tear indices of WBF were 23.7 N.m/g, 2.2 kPa.m2/g and 5.0 mN.m2/g,

respectively; these were much lower as compared to EBF. These values however, meet the

requirement for handmade paper.

Local Literature

According to Balda, S. et. al. (2021), Plant-based natural fibers such as banana, coir,

sisal, jute, kenaf and many others have been studied for industrial applications. Among these,

banana fiber is of major interest as banana is one of the most consumed fruit worldwide with

annual production of 115.7 million tonnes in the year 2018 and is grown in 130 countries, which

makes banana waste available locally. Various parts of banana plant such as fruit, fruit peel,

flower bud, leaves and pseudo-stem (banana trunk) are utilized for different industrial purposes.

Pseudo-stem is the major portion of banana waste biomass and yields good quality fiber that has

the potential for industrial applications in the making of sanitary pads, textiles, pulp and paper,
food and reinforced composite materials for automobiles, construction material, aerospace and

other composite materials. Recently, Philippine Department of Science and Technology prepared

masks from banana fiber which can cut the usage of single usage plastic.

According to itfnet.org (2022) the Philippines is one of the world’s top producers of

banana and therefore, one of the top generators of banana fruit stalk wastes. In Mindanao alone,

some 1.35 billion kilos of these stalks are produced every year and left in the fields to rot.

A research project initiated by the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) focused on the

industrial uses of peduncle fiber and juice. The study was carried out with private fruit grower

Unifrutti Corp., University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), Department of Science and

Technology (DOST) and Fiber Industry Development Authority (FIDA). Every year, about 2.3

million metric tons (MT) of banana peduncle were either thrown as waste or turned into

compost. Researchers discovered that fiber from the peduncle can be used as pulp for paper

products and composite fiber boards including resin-bonded and cement-bonded peduncle

boards. (philstar.com, 2014)

METHODOLOGY PROCESS

Process on making the paper for Paper Bag

 Step 1: Prepare the Step 2: Cut the Step 3: Wash Step 4: Put it in a
Ingredients Banana Stem Banana Pseudo- pot and let it boil
Stem

Step 6: Put it in a basin Step 5: Let it cool

Step 8: Fold it to
Step 7: Let it dry with water and strain it and blend it using a
make a Paper Bag
using a mould blender
Folding Process to make a Paper Bag

INGREDIENTS  2kg Banana Stem

  3 Liters of Water  Mould

 Blender

 Basin

MATERIALS  Pot

Research Design

According to Thomas, L. (2022) The quasi-experimental aims to do a cause and effect

relationship in between of the independent and dependent variables. But, unlike the true

experiment, a quasi-experiment does not base on a random assignment. Instead, the subjects are

assigned to groups based on non-random method. The researcher usually designs the treatment

but in quasi-experimental the researcher does not have control over the treatment, but the studies

pre-existing groups that received different treatments after the fact.

The research conducted a quasi-experimental study to analyze how effective can be

Banana Pseudo-Stem fibers as a Paper bag and to discover if there is a substantial difference

between the commercial paper bags and the paper bags made of Banana Pseudo-Stem fibers. The

purpose of this research is to determine the Effectiveness of Banana Pseudo-Stem fibers as a

Paper bag and the difference between two variables.

The researchers gathered data and information, such as the Effectiveness of Banana

Pseudo-Stem fibers as a Paper bag. The response will be examined and analyzed to see whether

the factors differ significantly from one another.

Research Method
 According to Dr. McLeod, S. (2012), The experimental method involves the

manipulation of variables to establish cause and effect relationships. The key features are

controlled methods and the random allocation of participants into controlled and experimental

groups.

The researchers used experimental method to investigate the Effectiveness of Banana

Pseudo-Stem Fibers as a Paper Bag compared to commercial paper bags to make use of waste

banana pseudo-stems. This type of method used to investigate the possibility of the study.

The researchers chose this type of method because the researchers seek for the experience

of the students of Arellano University Juan Sumulong Campus on Experimental Research of

Effectiveness of Paper Bag made from Banana Pseudo-Stem Fibers for Grade 12 STEM

students. The responses will undergo examination and analyzation to find out if the paper bag is

effective to be compared to commercial paper bags.

Research Instrument

According to Bhandari, P. (2021), A questionnaire is a list of questions or items used to

gather data from respondents about their attitudes, experiences, or opinions. Questionnaires can

be used to collect quantitative and/or qualitative information.

This research was conducted through a survey. The researchers provide a survey

questionnaire that is considered as the main instrument for gathering data. It accumulates data for

the researcher to achieve the information needed from the Grade 12 STEM Students of Arellano
University- Juan Sumulong Campus. The provided survey questionnaire must have been

answered by the participants based on their own satisfaction with the said product. Google form

is the platform that the researcher will be used to gather data. The researchers are using an

Instrument to have reliable and relevant data or information.

Sampling Technique

According to B.R.M. (2013), Convenience sampling is a type of sampling where the first

available primary data source will be used for the research without additional requirements. In

other words, this sampling method involves getting participants wherever you can find them and

typically wherever is convenient. In convenience sampling no inclusion criteria identified prior

to the selection of subjects. The researchers will ask STEM students to answer the survey

questionnaire until they complete the respondents they needed.

This study used convenience because they are the easiest for the researcher to access.

This can be due to geographical proximity, availability at a given time, or willingness to

participate in the research. Since the researchers need a large respondent to fully know if the

paper bag made up of banana pseudo-stem fiber is effective and efficient.