Jute fiber, a material with a future in India
Audio 01:30
Jute fibers used to make canvas.
© CC0 Pixabay / Dean Moriarty
By: Altin Lazaj
1 min
India, the world's largest producer of jute, is trying to promote this crop, known not only as an alternative to plastics, but also for its ability to absorb carbon dioxide.
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Jute fiber has a bright future ahead of it: its boom is linked to the abandonment of single-use plastic by consumers. According to experts, only the jute bag market could weigh 2.5 billion euros by 2024, against 1.7 billion in 2020. Jute is also gaining the world of fashion. Jute clothes are made by great Indian designers, but not only. This plant material is also making its appearance in the boutiques of luxury brands such as Christian Dior.
Besides its use in the textile industry, jute is known for its contribution against greenhouse gas. One hectare of jute crops can absorb up to 15 tonnes of carbon dioxide and release 11 tonnes of oxygen in a season. Grown in rainy regions, jute requires little water and fertilizer. It is for this reason that jute is found in abundance in West Bengal, a very humid region in eastern India. The latter is also the world's largest producer, followed by Bangladesh.
India is now trying to revive the jute industry, believing in its future as an alternative to synthetic materials.
To boost local production, the Indian government now requires that all food grains and 20% of the sugar be packed in burlap bags.
But this industry is now obsolete, so that it can meet global demand, it is indeed necessary to invest to modernize the means of production and agricultural practices, say the Indian experts.
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