The long, glossy ramie fibers are naturally white and have an almost silky appearance. Ramie is a cellulosic substance as is cotton, linen and other plant fibers. The inner structure of ramie, however, differs from the other plant fibers that contain polymeric carbohydrate structural components. The physical form of the cellulose in the Ramie fiber is very rigid and crystalline but is extremely porous, which provides it with better absorbency than many other cellulose fibers. One of the strongest natural fibers, ramie exhibits even greater strength when wet.