Jute fabric is a type of textile fiber made from the jute plant. While there are a few different botanical varieties of jute, one of the main species used to make jute fabric is Corchorus olitorius (white jute). However, another species of jute, called Corchorus capsularis (tossa jute) is considered to be superior even though it is harder to cultivate. Jute plants grow to be over 10 feet high, and the fibers derived from these plants are harvested in a single long string. Therefore, jute fibers are among the longest natural textile fibers in the world. Jute is a relatively rough fiber, which means that it isn’t well-suited for apparel applications unless it goes through an extensive production process. Instead, jute’s roughness and durability make it ideal for industrial applications. Most types of jute fabric are loose with woven networks of thick yarn. A process called retting is used to remove the non-fibrous material from the stem and skin of the jute stalk. Retting softens the stalks and makes it possible to separate the fibrous material from the unusable material by hand. Jute is environmentally friendly as well as being one of the most affordable fibers.
