Report June 2025

We’ll be at production again this month, visiting jute farms with our procurement manager on another fact-finding mission. So, here’s some background information regarding the raw material that goes into making jute rope.

The unique conditions of Bengal provide 97.2% of the world’s jute that grows long and strong enough for cordage. It’s an environmentally friendly crop. A hectare absorbs 14 tonnes of carbon dioxide during photosynthesis, converting it to glucose, releasing 10 tonnes of oxygen. This makes jute extremely valuable in combating climate change because of its strong carbon sequestration.

Jute requires a combination of near constant temperature within a range, good sunlight, high, stable humidity, and ample water in the short growing season. Given perfect conditions, fibre can grow 3~4 centimetres per day.

Two river systems provide base irrigation and nutrients. The 2,500km Ganges south of the Himalayas flows through densely populated areas. The longer Brahmaputra comes north through more sparsely populated regions, and is cleaner. This is why Indian jute is generally considered below average or poor quality, usable mainly for sacking and carpet backing applications.

According to the Indian National Jute Board, 2024 production decreased 20% due to natural causes. In the previous 8 years, the growing area reduced by 1.7 million hectares, an area the size of Kuwait. Domestic consumption remains around 90%. Current market conditions are limited supply, increasing demand and rising prices, especially for finest quality. 

The optimum blend of alluvial sandy-clay loam soil with 4.8~5.8 pH, and complimentary seed genotype variety improve fibre quality. Bio-fertilizer such as Chinese (Indian) Rhubarb, generally inedible, provides mulch with anti-bacterial and natural insecticides.

Jute is easily damaged in standing water, so run-off irrigation is critical. If you find long, orange-reddish runners within the yarn in your rope, it comes from plants that have stood too long in water, and has the strength of blotting paper.

Croppy fibre from the plant top is sticky, hard and rough, and occurs during long, dry spells, or improper retting immersion. Sticky fibre comes from immature plants. Knotty fibre happens when insects infest the plant. Mossy fibre is from algae and other vegetation mixed in during flooding.

Plants are pulled from the soil during cropping. Farmers may try to maximise weight by chopping minimum root stock. They’re then retted, where bundles are submerged for 7~14 days, time depending on water temperature, flow and mineral content. This creates a microbial action where natural decomposition binding filament bundles to the bark and stem soften and break down non-fibrous tissues, making it easier to separate fibre.

 Rooty fibre is caused by improper decomposition. Specky, or spotted fibre the result of incorrect retting and washing, where foreign materials stick to filaments. Weak fibre, caused by over retting, bundling in wet conditions and/or storing for long periods significantly reduces strength and colour, and can lead to dead fibre. Hunka fibre is hard, strong cuticle or outer layer parts of the plant not properly removed, causing scratches, cuts and splinters in handling.

After retting, fibre is still green, and hung to dry in the sun, where it goldens before being folded into Morah bales. In transport, heart damage can result due to a combination of factors, including excessive moisture, confined space within the bale, and natural degradation if exposed to prolonged wet conditions. Transit or exterior damage can also happen during handling on its way to the jute mill, eg. crushing. Even the method of storage in yarn mill raw material sheds is important to not deteriorate the fibre.

All of this brings about variability in the raw fibre, area to area, season to season. Most noticeably colour, but also strength, finess and lustre. Jute isn’t a homogenous material. So, expert selection is vital. Our new yarn mill storage sheds have a capacity of 800 tonnes. I’m curious to learn more from our procurement manager, and the farmers.

And finally, more good news. We’ve established our own internal customs brokerage, further streamlined logistics and, as volume has increased, gained better deals on supply, packaging materials, shipping, etc.

But the most significant progress made is by procuring raw material direct from the farmers we now get best guaranteed jute for an overall lower price, cutting out two intermediates with the associated extra costs, availability and reliability issues.

So, as promised, we can now pass these savings on to you, reducing our product price to our intended target. Unfortunately, we can’t see any other significant areas for further efficiencies at the moment, hope we have a good season so costs won’t rise, and that there isn’t another global shipping, pandemic or other crisis.