What is Jute Fabric: A Sustainable Fabric of Golden Threads

Jute is quite a familiar name but as a fabric, it is mostly known as a fabric of home goods and homewares. Jute is positioned as the second to cotton in terms of its features. However, do you know what jute fabric is made of or how jute fabric has become so familiar to us for daily goodies? If not, then go through the article to know every detail of Jute fabric.

What is Jute Fabric?

Jute fabric refers to the textile fabric that is made from the jute plant. White Jute, that is, Corchorus olitorius, is one of the main species to make this fabric. This species is superior but hard to cultivate. 

However, Jute is derived from ‘burlap’ that makes the fabric durable, and rough. Jute fabric is mostly used in carpets, rugs, furniture covers, and other home goods. Jute, as a natural fiber is textured. 

What is Jute Fabric made of?

Jute fabric is a natural fabric that is made of the fibers of the jute plant. Jute plants can be 10 feet high and fibers derived from jute plants are harvested in a single long string. 

It consists of long, soft, and lustrous plant fibers. These fibers spun into thick and strong yarns.

Also, these fibers make the ‘burlap’ that we have previously mentioned. Burlap is a coarse and inexpensive material to make accessories. Jute is not a popular fabric in the Western World. Still, jute fibers are the longest textile fibers in the world. 

The Manufacturing Process of Jute Fabric

Jute fabric is manufactured in 7 steps. They are-

Step 1: Harvesting: Mature jute fibers are harvested by hand. 

Step 2: Defoliating: Then those mature jute stalks are defoliated.

Step 3: Retting: Retting is a process to remove the non-fibrous material from the stem and skin of the jute stalk.

Step 4: Separating and Combing: After retting the jute stalk, the jute stalks are separated based on long and silky fibers. Then, the combing process happens to make them long strings.

Step 5: Spinning: Combed fibers are spun into yarn.

Step 6: Finishing: Fibes are then subjected to a variety of chemical processes. These processes make the jute fiber water and fire-resistant.

Step 7: Weaving: The finished jute fibers then go for shipping to the textile production facility. There, they get woven into apparel. 

Types of Jute Fabric

Jute fabric has different types. For instance:

1. White Jute: Lighter in color and less durable.

2. Tossa Jute: One of the main types of Jute. it is a hardy crop and yields more fiber.

3. Mesta Jute: Hybrid form of white and tossa jute.

4. Jute Cuttings: Byproducts of jute production. The roughest and least desirable parts. 

Properties of Jute Fabric

Characteristics of Jute Fabric

Jute fabric has a lot of features that make it a natural fiber with a shiny texture. The reason behind being the Golden Fiber is its features. They are:

Biodegradable: Jute fabric is 100% bio-degradable and environmentally friendly as it is derived from the jute plant. Also, jute is renewable as it is grown with no requirement of fertilizers. 

Strong and Durable: Jute fabric is strong and resistant to tearing, abrasion, and stretching. This fabric is ideal in nature making it suitable for any climate variety.

Versatile: Jute can be woven with textures and dyed with colors. It can be shaped in different ways and is easy to work with. 

Application of Jute Fabric

Jute fabric comes in for various applications. For instance:

1. Household Furnishing

2. DIY Craft Material: Fun home crafts

3. Apparel: Jute Sweaters, light jackets

4. Industrial: Burlap making

5. Agriculture: Saplings

6. Flooring: Fibrous backing of linoleum tile

7. Homeware: Curtains, Canvas

FAQ

• What is Jute Fabric called?

Jute fabric is also known as Burlap, hessian, or gunny cloth. This fabric is made from the fibers of the jute plant, which is composed of cellulose and lignin.

• How is Jute Fabric for Clothing?

For clothing purposes, jute fabric is pretty applicable. It is because of its being highly breathable. It does not retain heat much longer, making it an ideal fabric for hot and hot climates.

Conclusion

Let’s recap what we have read so far. Jute fabric comes from the jute plant. As a fabric, it tends to be rough and texture, but with high breathability. It is durable and applicable to many areas of daily life. Since jute is easy to grow, it makes sense that sustainable fabrics are still there on this planet. Which jute fabric-made product do you own? Let us know in the comment box.