Wondering what jute is? You’re in the right place!

Customers often ask about creating a branded hessian bag for their business, and don’t really understand what jute is. Globally, there are loads of different terms for the fabric manufactured from the jute plant. Let’s clear up the confusion and look at what exactly jute, hessian and (just to confuse things) burlap is.

Before these fabrics became popular in the bag industry, they were used for everything, from carpet backing to soldiers’ uniforms and rope.

What is hessian?

Hessian is the popular term for jute fabric throughout mainland Europe and Australia. The word originates from a group of German soldiers in the state of Hesse. They famously wore a uniform constructed from natural hessian and became know as ‘hessians’ (source: wikipedia.org).

The fabric itself is made from natural fibres found in the skin of the jute plant. Because of its rough texture, hessian is mainly used to make sacks, rope, string and other rustic products.

What is burlap?

Burlap is the same natural fabric as hessian, but is the word more commonly used across the Atlantic in America and Canada. The origin of the word ‘burlap’ is still unknown, but it research suggests it dates back to the 17th century were it was derived from the Middle English word ‘borel’ (meaning coarse cloth).

What is jute?

Jute is a more refined version of hessian. It offers a higher quality product and a softer finish, making it the perfect material for producing our natural bags.

The term “jute” originated from the word ‘jhuta or jora’ from the Oriya language. Oriya, an ancient Indian language, is now spoken by only 4% of the Indian population.

India is the world’s largest producer of jute and it is where all our GoJute bags start out.

The journey of jute:

Jute seeds are planted between April and May and are harvested between July and August.

They require very little water and fertiliser, the plants are pest-resistant, and the resulting crop is super durable.

At GoJute, we love to keep waste as low as possible, so it’s great to see every part of the jute plant being used.

• The outer layer of the stem produces the fibre that goes into making jute bags
• The leaves can be cooked
• The inner wooden stems are used to manufacture paper
• The roots, left in the ground after harvest, improve the yield of future crops

So all three terms originate from the same material and are constructed from fibres found in the skin of the jute plant.

Hessian and burlap are interchangeable and are used for a more rustic and coarse fabric, whereas jute is used to describe the most refined and high quality fabric.

This is why jute is more commonly used to produce natural bags, despite the fact hessian seems to be the most popular word on the street. So all those ‘hessian bags’ you’ve collected on the back of your door are more likely to be made of jute!

Browse the Jute, Juco and cotton products in our wide range.