The large historic markets for jute in sacking, carpet backing, cordage, and textiles have
decreased over the years as jute has been replaced by synthetics. Fibre from jute can be used
in the handicraft industries, to make textiles, to make paper products, or to produce a wide
variety of composites.
When the long fibre is separated, the byproduct is a large amount of short fibre and pith
material that can be used for such products as sorbents, packing, light-weight composites,
and insulation. By utilizing the byproduct of the long fibre isolation process, the overall cost of
long-fibre utilization is reduced. The isolated long fibre can then be used to make mats which
have value-added applications
in filters, geotextiles, packaging, molded composites, and structural and nonstructural
composites.
Geo-Textiles
The long bast fibres, like in jute, can be formed into flexible fibre mats, which can be made
by physical entanglement, nonwovens needling, or thermoplastic fibre melt matrix
technologies. The two most common types are carded and needle-punched mats. In
carding, the fibres are combed, mixed, and physically entangled into a felted mat.
Geotextiles derive their name from geo and textile and, therefore, mean fabrics in
associated with the earth. Geotextiles have a large variety of uses. They can be used for
mulch around newly planted seedlings. Jute fibre mats have good moisture
retention and promote seed germination. Low- and medium-density fiber mats can be used
for soil stabilization around new or existing construction sites. Steep slopes without roots to
hold the soil erode and top soil is lost. Medium- and high-
density fibre mats can also be used below ground in road- and other types of construction
as natural separators between different materials.
Filters
Medium- and high-density fibre mats can be used for air filters. Air filters can be made to
remove particulate and/or can be impregnated or reacted with various chemicals as air
freshners or cleansers.
Sorbents
Medium and high-density
mats can also be used for oil-spill clean-up pillows.
Structural Composites
A structural composite is defined as one that is required to carry a load in use. In the
housing industry, for example, structural composites are used in load-bearing walls, roof
systems, subflooring, stairs, framing components, furniture, etc.
Nonstructural Composites
As the name implies, nonstructural composites are not intended to carry a load in use. These
can be made from a variety of materials such as thermoplastics, textiles, and wood
particles, and are used for such products as doors, windows, furniture gaskets, ceiling
tiles, automotive interior parts, molding, etc.
Molded Products
Fibre mats are similar to the ones described for
use as geotextiles except, during mat formation, an adhesive is added by dipping or
spraying the fibre before mat formation, or it is added as a powder during mat formation
[9]. The mat is then shaped and densified by a thermoforming step. Within certain limits, any
size, shape, thickness, and density is possible. These molded composites can be used for
structural or non-structural applications as well as for packaging, and can be combined with
other materials to form new classes of composites.
Packaging
“Gunny” bags made from jute have been used as sacking for products
such as coffee, cocoa, nuts, cereals, dried fruits, and vegetables for many years. While
there are still many applications for long fibre for sacking.
Combinations with Other Resources
Composites of agro-based fibre and glass fiber can be made by using the glass as a surface
material or combined, as a fibre, with lignocellulosic fibre. Composites of this type can have
a very high stiffness-to-weight ratio. The long bast fibres can also be used in place of glass
fibre in resin injection molding (RIM) or used to replace, or in combination with, glass fiber in
resin-transfer-molding (RTM) technologies.
One of the biggest new areas of research in the value-
added area is in combining natural fibres with thermoplastics. Prices for plastics have
risen sharply over the past few years, but adding a natural powder or fibre to plastics
reduces cost (and in some cases increases performance as well). To the agro-based
industry, this represents an increased value for the agro-based component.
Fibre Matrix Thermoplasticization
The approach most often taken involves the chemical modification of cellulose,
lignin, and the hemicelluloses to recrystallize/modify the cellulose and to thermoplasticize the
lignin and hemicellulose matrix in order to mold the entire lignocellulosic resource into films or
thermoplastic composites.
Fibre–Thermoplastic alloys
In this type of
composite, the thermoplastic is bonded onto the lignocellulosic in such a way that there
is only one continuous phase in the molecule.
Fashion Fabric
Jute a versatile, eco-friendly, recyclable and economical fibre. Jute is also often blended
with other fabrics like cotton (called JUCO) that are ideal for clothing, accessories and
home furnishing. In order to make sophisticated products like fashion garments, jute needs to be
blended with fibres like wool, nylon, rayon, acrylic or polypropylene. These blends enrich
the fibre in feel, appearance, durability, resilience and washability.
Fancy Bags and Handicrafts
The versatile Jute fibre is now being used to create exciting new products, the most popular
one are Hand Bags, Shopping Bags, Luggage Bags, Wallets, Casual Bags and Fashion Bags.