Jute

Jute is a long, rough, shiny bast fiber that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from flowering plants in the genus Corchorus, which is in the mallow family Tiliaceae. The primary source of the fiber is Corchorus olitorius, but such fiber is considered inferior to that derived from Corchorus capsularis. Jute is one of the most affordable natural fibers and second only to cotton in the amount produced and variety of uses. Jute fibers are composed primarily of plant materials cellulose and lignin. Jute fiber falls into the bast fiber category (fiber collected from bast, the phloem of the plant, sometimes called the "skin") along with kenaf, industrial hemp, flax (linen), ramie, etc. The industrial term for jute fiber is raw jute. The fibers are off-white to brown and range from 1–4 meters (3–13 feet) long. Jute is also called the "golden fiber" for its color and high cash value. The bulk of the jute trade is centered in South Asia, with India and Bangladesh as the primary producers. The majority of jute is used for durable and sustainable packaging, such as burlap sacks. Production and usage declined in previous decades due to the popularity of disposable plastic packaging, but this trend has recently begun to reverse as an increasing number of countries phase out or ban single-use plastics. The jute industry in Bangladesh is currently experiencing a remarkably prosperous phase. In the past, jute and jute products held the top position among Bangladesh's most exported goods. Although now they stand second after the RMG (Ready-Made Garments) sector in the recent fiscal year, their significance remains substantial. Annually, Bangladesh produces an impressive 7.0 to 8.0 million bales of raw jute, out of which 0.6 to 0.8 million bales are exported to international markets. China, India, and Pakistan are the primary importers of raw jute from Bangladesh, underscoring the country's prominence as a reliable supplier in the global jute trade.