Industrial Frequently Asked Questions

Burlap is a fabric that is made from the jute plant, which is a woody herb shrub. The plants are cultivated in tropical countries throughout the world. They are annuals with sparsely branching stems, often growing as tall as 4 meters (14 feet).

The fibers of the inner bark are glossy and tenacious, but are brittle and easily injured by moisture.

Most cultivated jute is grown in alluvial soils of the river valleys in India. 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 separated 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. They dry fibers are yellowish white, soft and lustrous.