If you’re into fashion, eco-friendly products, or anything like that, you’ve probably heard of canvas bags, PU Leather bags, and various similar options. However, you might not have heard about jute bags.
What’s a jute bag, anyway?
Stay tuned and find out.
What is a Jute Bag?
As the name suggests, and you probably figured, a jute bag is a bag made from jute. However, jute is not all that commonly known nowadays. So, what is it? Well, it’s an “old world” plant that helped society reach where it is today.
The name of the plant is aptly named “Jute”. When it’s young, it has soft, edible shoots that functioned as food for thousands of years in several civilizations, but as it ages, it takes on a very different use. It becomes highly fibrous and makes for the perfect rope-twisting material.
Again, that was its secondary use for much of history. It was used to make ropes for just about every purpose you could imagine. Thin lines of jute were used for fishing and basic things that string would be used for, while thicker pieces were used for everything you could imagine a rope being used for. Also, when fully dry and fluffed a bit, jute makes perfect tinder for starting primitive fires.
Jute bags can be traced back thousands of years, too. The thinner, more malleable pieces of jute rope were tied or woven to create bags that could carry crop harvests comfortably, equipment for hunting or fishing, and more.
What are Jute Bags Like Now?
Now, jute bags are a lot more refined. Rather than being made from hand-twisted strings of jute, they’re processed mechanically and woven at a textile factory. That fabric is then woven together to create bags.
This creates a much tighter weave that is more suitable for modern bags, and it helps jute bags last much longer than they did earlier in history. Not to mention, they look a lot better and more uniform.
Speaking of aesthetics, jute can be dyed a variety of colors. You can even find rolls of jute twine, the material used to make jute bags, that are died “Christmas green”, apple red, and more. The same goes for bags, and many manufacturers will add dyes in patterns to create some amazing and ornate designs.
Are Jute Bags Good?
Jute bags might be made from natural fibers, and they might feel a little rougher than other materials as they age, but they do make good and even fashionable bags.
This is for a few reasons. First, the bags are strong. Remember, jute was used to make ropes that greatly propelled human civilization. Then, they’re resistant to water, which most other eco-friendly materials aren’t. That leads to another benefit; they’re eco-friendly.
Jute naturally breaks down when left in the elements. So, when it’s time to toss your jute bag in the trash, it won’t sit around polluting the land.
Finally, jute bags can be found very cheaply without sacrificing quality. This is largely due to the common nature of jute and how easy it is to manufacture with.
