More than just jute?
Jute is best known for its use in the manufacture of gunnysacks and twine although exports of
the fibre have suffered from the advent of polypropylene alternatives. But the cost of synthetics
has risen in recent years and, with an increasing trend for natural, renewable sources of raw
materials, current demand for jute is only just meeting supply. Indian raw jute producers have
recently had to reassure jute processors that, due to the carryover of large stocks from 1998, they
will be able to meet shipment requirements despite the 20% drop in this year's production.
Interestingly, innovative research and development
for jute in Asia and Europe could make this a fibre of industrial importance in the 21st Century.
Members of the International Jute Organisation (IJO) based in Dhaka, Bangladesh currently include Bangladesh, China and Nepal. As the world's largest producer and consumer of jute, it is hoped that India, a former member of the IJO, will re-enter the organisation by the time of the new international jute agreement which is due to be drawn up in April next year. Thailand, an active and founder member of the IJO, has also had to withdraw this year for financial reasons. However, despite these political setbacks, new programmes, funded by the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) in Amsterdam, have been undertaken by the IJO. One such programme includes a 3½-year study led by the UK Textile Consultancy, based in Fife, Scotland, into the production and marketing of new needle punch technologies, which include floor coverings and recyclable shoe insole materials for the European market. As a renewable raw material which is non-carcinogenic, research into jute as a cheaper substitute for synthetics also includes its use as sound insulation for internal panels, underflooring and headlinings for automobiles, mattress padding combined with polypropylene and as a backing substrate.
In Bangladesh, jute is being used to reinforce concrete for use in corrugated roofing sheets and ridge tiles. The fibres are mixed with wet cement mortar, laid over a corrugated mould and left to dry for 24 hours. Once the cement has fully hardened over a period of two weeks, the fibre sheets have been shown to be reasonably resistant to cracking and, over a five-year period, there is little physical deterioration of the material. The cost of these reinforced fibre concrete sheets is 40% less than using corrugated iron sheets for roofing so, with the use of locally available materials, this simple technology provides an economic alternative for rural people.
Meanwhile the production of gunnysacks looks set to continue after a recommendation from the International Cocoa Organisation (ICCO) which favours the use of Indian-made food grade jute bags. Last year, the Indian jute industry exported around 10,000 tonnes of these bags for the edible nut and coffee sectors but the bags were banned in many countries earlier this year because the conventional mineral oils used in the production of the bags was found to contaminate the contents. However, the Indian Jute Manufacture Council is expecting orders up to 100,000 tonnes with the development of a special lubricant which is used to soften the coarse jute material. The lubricant, known as RBO, has been developed by the Indian Jute Industries' Research Association and is made from the non-edible portion of rice bran oil. The RBO technology conforms to international specifications for non-contamination of packaged food items and many Indian jute mills are to adopt the RBO technology.
