JUTE

FIBER

BAST FIBER
 Stem
Jute (Chorchorus)
Outline:
Introduction
Structure of Fiber
Production and Processing of fiber
◦ Cultivation
◦ Harvesting
◦ Retting
◦ Stripping
◦ Washing
◦ Drying
◦ Bailing & Packing
◦ Transport
Properties
End Uses
 Introduction
Jute is a natural fiber
popularly known as the
“Golden Fiber”.

Jute fiber comes from

the stem of a herbaceous
annual plant

“Corchorus”.
Jute is the second in the world’s production of textile
fibers after cotton

India, China, Bangladesh are leading producers of Jute

Jute is almost entirely a market oriented crop

Bangladesh is the largest cultivator of raw jute

The plant has a height of 8 to 12 feet

 Structure of Fiber

Commercial jute varies from yellow to brown to greyish in

color.

The bundle of fibers held together by gummy material;

lignin which plays an important role in structure of plant.

By contrast with the regular lumen of flax, that of jute is

irregular; it becomes narrow in places quite suddenly.

Structure of Fiber

Longitudinal View
 Cross-sectional view

Part of a fiber bundle of jute as seen in transverse view under the scanning electron
microscope. The cementing material between the ultimate fibers can be clearly seen.
Magnification7600.
Production and Processing of Fiber
Jute is a rainy season crop, sown from March to May
according to rainfall and type of land.

Jute requires a warm and humid climate with temperature

between 24ċ to 37ċ.

The soil of good depth, containing salts from annual

floods, is best for jute.

The stalk diameter of plant is ¾ inches.

Stages of Production & Processing
Cultivation

Harvesting

Retting

Stripping

Washing

Drying

Bailing & Packing

Storage
 Cultivation Process

Sowing of jute starts with the showers in March or

April and continues till early June. Phosphorus,
Potash & Nitrogen fertilizers are used for this
crop.
 Harvesting Process

Jute is harvested any time between 120 days to 150 days

when the flowers have been shed, early harvesting gives
good healthy fibers. The harvested plants are left in the
field for 3 days for the leaves to shed (means leaves got
dried up).
 Retting Process

Retting is a process in which fibers get loosened due to

decomposition of hard cell walls by the action of bacteria.
The bundles are steeped in water at least 60cm to 90cm
depth.
 Stripping Process (Fiber Extraction)

Stripping is the process of removing the fibers from the stalk

after the completion of retting. Fibers are removed from
the stalk by any one of the following methods:
1. Single plants are taken and their fibers are taken off.

2. Taken off a handful of stalks, breaking it in a to and fro motion in

water.
 Washing Process
Extracted fibers are washed in clean water. The dark color of
fibers can be removed by dipping them in tamarind water
for 15 to 20 minutes and again washed in clean water.
 Drying Process

The fibers are hung on bamboo railings for sun drying for
2-3 days. After drying, the fibers are ready to be sold in the
market.
 Bailing & Packing Process

The bailing of jute fiber is done according to grading

system. The fiber is graded into Top, Middle, B, C and X-
Bottoms.

Packing into Kutcha bales about 250 pounds for use in

mills or jute market.
 Properties
1. Fiber Surface & Appearance: Yellow to brown to dirty grey
in color and Natural Silky Lustrous appearance
2. Tensile Strength: Not stronger than flax because of the
irregularities in the thickness of cell wall.
3. Elongation:
Elongation at break = 1.7%
4. Elastic Properties: It is a stiff fiber and not tend to return its
original length completely when the tension is relaxed.
5. Specific Gravity: 1.5
6. Length: 1~4 meters (3~12 feet)
 Properties
7. Effect of Moisture:
Moisture Regain = 13.75%

Jute can absorb as much as 23% of water under humid conditions

8. Effect of Age: High content of non-cellulosic matter makes jute

sensitive against chemical and photochemical attack.

9. Effect of Microorganisms: Jute is more resistant to micro-

organism due to protective effect of lignin.
 Advantages:
Great antistatic properties
Low thermal conductivity.
100% Biodegradable; so it is environment friendly
fiber like Cotton.
Cheap in market.
Can be widely used in Agriculture Sector, Textile
Sector, Woven Sector, Nonwoven Sector.
Jute Fiber can be blended with Natural and Synthetic
fibers.
 Disadvantages:
The crease resistance of Jute is very low.

Drape Property is not good enough.

Create Shade effect and becomes yellowish

if sunlight is used.

If Jute is wetted it lose it’s strength.

 End Uses
Jute is cheap and reasonably strong and is available in large
quantities.

Generally used in:

Sacks & Packing Cloth

Food Storage

Backing cloth for carpets

Curtains & Furnishing fabric

Used in Geotextiles, technical textiles and textile

composites

Mixed with wool, used in cheap clothing