Jute Matting
Jute matting is being used to prevent flood erosion while natural vegetation becomes established. For this purpose, a natural and biodegradable fibre is essential.
Jute is one of the strongest natural fibers. The long staple fibre has high tensile strength and low extensibility. Its luster determines quality; the more it shines, the better the quality. It also has some heat and fire resistance. The biodegradable features of jute are becoming increasingly important.
Jute Production
Jute is a rain-fed crop with little need for fertilizer or pesticides. The production is concentrated in India and Bangladesh. The jute fibre comes from the stem and ribbon of the jute plant. The fibres are first extracted by retting. The retting process consists of bundling jute stems together and immersing them in low, running water. There are two types of retting: stem and ribbon. After the retting process, stripping begins. Women and children usually do this job. In the stripping process, non-fibrous matter is scraped off, then the workers dig in and grab the fibres from within the jute stem.
Jute has many advantages as a home textile, either replacing cotton or blending with it. It is a strong, durable, color and light-fast fibre. Its UV protection, sound and heat insulation, low thermal conduction and anti-static properties make it a wise choice in home décor. Also, fabrics made of jute fibres are carbon-dioxide neutral and naturally decomposable. These properties are also why jute can be used in high performance technical textiles
Thus, jute is the most environment-friendly fibre starting from the seed to expired fibre, as the expired fibres can be recycled more than once.
| Top Ten Jute and Jute-like Fibres Producers — 2006 | thousand metric tonne |
|---|---|
| India | 2,041 |
| Bangladesh | 801 |
| People's Republic of China | 87 |
| Côte d'Ivoire | 40 |
| Thailand | 31 |
| Myanmar | 26 |
| Brazil | 26 |
| Uzbekistan | 20 |
| Nepal | 17 |
| Vietnam | 11 |
| World Total | 3,111 |
| Source: UN Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO)[2] | |
Jute plants
Jute fibre is often called hessian; jute fabrics are also called hessian cloth and jute sacks are called gunny bags in some European countries. The fabric made from jute is popularly known as burlap in North America.
Other
Diversified byproducts which can be cultivated from jute include uses in cosmetics, medicine, paints, and other products.
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