The plant of the jute
Jute is a textile fibre made from the stem of the Eorchorus CCIPSU/Ciris, an annual herbaceous plant of the family of the Tigliaceae. Ouesta plant, which can reach the 3-4 meters high, has a large stem a few inches and large oval leaves.
For centuries it is cultivated in the hot and humid climate regions of the Indian sub-continent-mainly Bangladesh and Pakistan-of China and southeast Asia.
The most prized variety is however the Indian one. Jute is one of the most economical natural fibres, and is second only to cotton by quantity produced and by diversification of uses.
The machining
Just as is the case for the production of other vegetable textile fibres such as flax and hemp, the stems of the jute plant, matured, are cut and soaked in water. After about three weeks, macerated bark is peeled off and washed, dried and assembled in bales ready for sale.
The colour of the lint can vary from the white-yellow of the most precious qualities to the Bruno of the most inferior ones.
The woody interior of the stem, however, is used to construct temporary fences and as a combustible material. Jute is a very wear-resistant fibre. It is also biodegradable to 100% and unattackable by fungi and moulds.
The jute trade began at the end of 1700: At that time the fibre served mainly for the production of ropes for sails and for the mooring of boats and ships, only later found use also as raw material for weaving. Today, 75% of Jute’s annual production is intended for the manufacture of sacks for the packaging of cereals, coffee, cocoa and rice; The remaining 25% is used for the processing of carpets and textiles (cushions, curtains, wallpapers).
