Jute, also called the ‘Golden Fiber’ of Bangladesh, is the most useful and versatile fiber gifted to human being by the nature.
In Bangladesh, there are mainly two type of jute. They are capsularis (white) and olitorious ( tossa ). while the capsularis fibre is whitish in colour and olitorious fibre is finer and stronger than the capsularis and is yellowish reddish, greyish in colour. White jute has 8 classes viz. W-1 to W-8 and tossa jute has 8 classes viz. TD-1 to TD-8 on the basis of length, strength, fineness, and lustre and free from enlargements and roots. Jute a bast fibre means the fibre known as pat, kosta, nalita, bimli or mesta.
Bangladeshi jute or raw jute’s biggest use is in burlap bags or jute sacks and bags, which are used to ship and store many agricultural products. High-quality jute cloths are used as backing for tufted carpets and hooked rugs. Coarser jute fibres are made into jute yarn and jute twines, rough cordage, and doormats.
However, because of its low cost and the ease of dyeing and spinning, jute is the principal coarse fiber in commercial production and use. About 90% is spun into – jute yarn or jute twines for fabrics – ; the better qualities supply to hessian or burlap and the poorer grades are used for baling and sacking (e.g., gunny sacks). It is also used for twine, rope, carpet and linoleum backing, and insulation. The discarded lower ends, called jute butts, are used for paper manufacture.
For the increased demand of Bangladeshi jute and raw jute specially Bangla Tosha Rejection (BTR) in the export market into consideration, Bangladesh govt temporarily lifted the ban on export raw jute. On February 11, 2010, the government imposed the ban on export of raw jute, mainly to ensure its availability for the local jute mills. exports of raw jute and jute goods from bangladesh boomed as environmental threats and health hazards in synthetic fiber in the context of climate change made many interested in the natural fiber made products in the global market.
Jute requires humid climate with temperature fluctuating between 24 degree Celsius and 38 degree Celsius, the optimum being around 34 degree Celsius. Minimum rainfall required for jute cultivation is 1000 mm. The plants grow 10–12 ft (3–4 m) high and have long, serrated, tapered, light green leaves and small yellow flowers.