The jute plant, Corchorus, is a herbaceous annual. It may
grow to 5m (15ft), with a stalk diameter of 20mm. In India and Bangladesh, the
plants are commonly harvested with a hand sickle.
Retting is carried out in a manner similar to that used for
flax, the stalks being steeped in a sluggish stream of water. They are examined
daily until the stage is reached at which the fiber can be separated easily
from the stem. The strands of fiber, often as much as 2m long, are washed and
hung up in the sun to dry. They are compressed into bales and sent off to the
mills for spinning.
It is necessary to incorporate small amounts of mineral
spindle oils into the fiber during conversion into yarn. Normal jute goods may
contain up to 5 percent oil, but so-called ‘stainless’ yarns containing 1
percent of oil or less are commonly available when the jute is to be used for
special purposes, e.g. cables, fuses, carpet backings, wall-coverings etc.