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Jute: From Fiber to Fabric
- The production of jute fabric has remained largely the same for centuries. In most cases, mature jute stalks are harvested by hand, and they are then defoliated. Jute fibers can be derived from both the inner stem and the outer skin of the stalk.
- A process called retting is used to remove the non-fibrous material from the stem and skin of the jute stalk. Retting softens the stalks and makes it possible to separate the fibrous material from the unusable material by hand.
- After the jute stalk has been retted, it is possible to separate the long, silky fibers and comb them into long strings. These combed fibers can then be spun into yarn. While it’s technically possible to make jute yarn with automated machines, most jute-producing communities still rely on analog spinning wheels for this process.
- Once jute has been spun it is then send out to different facilities to be made into textiles
