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Jute, common name for two species of woody herbs and for the fibers of these herbs. They are cultivated in tropical countries throughout the world. But mostly the best Jute is grown in the large delta formed by the Ganges and Brahmaputra River, which is situated in Bangladesh.
Jute
are annuals with sparsely branching stems, often growing as tall as 4 m
(14 ft). The small yellow flowers, which grow singly or in pairs, give
rise to capsular fruits. The fibers of the inner bark, called bast fibers
or phloem fibers, are glossy and tenacious but are brittle and easily injured
by moisture.
Most cultivated
jute is grown in alluvial soils of the river valleys of Bangladesh. The
herb is planted, cultivated, and within four to five months of planting,
harvested by hand. At harvest, roots and foliage are removed from the plants,
and the stems, tied in bunches, are soaked in water (retted) for two to
three weeks. At the end of the retting process, the fibers are easily separable
from most of the remaining stem tissue. While still in water, the stems
are pounded with wooden mallets. They are then rinsed, wrung thoroughly
to remove any remaining non-fibrous material, and hung up to dry. The dried
fibers are yellowish white, soft, and lustrous.
Jute
is used in the manufacture of papers, rope, cordage, burlap, sacks and
many more items.
