Jute is cultivated on small farms in Bangladesh and India. Traditional, nearly organic methods are used . Fully grown, the plant reaches 12 ft (3.6m). They have delicate green leaves and little yellow flowers that are pollinated by insects.
Farmers cut the flowering stems down, dry them in the sun and then soak them in flowing water to loosen the bark and dissolve the gum that holds the woody fibres together. This process is called "retting". The fibre is then extracted by hand.
The fibres in jute are uneven in diameter and are highly resistant to stretching but individually brittle - so they develop microscopic fractures during the weaving process. These two factors give jute its natural slightly rough appearance.
The jute fabric industry was pioneered by mill-owners in Dundee, Scotland in the 1820s. By the 1850s they were setting up jute mills in India itself and some of these mills are still working today. Jute is a major item in the world's commodity markets and the finer grades can be seen in fashion, luggage and home furnishing. It is also known as hessian and burlap.
