By Eman Abdallah Kamel
Jute is a natural, cellulosic, and sustainable plant. It has many applications. In this article, you will learn the steps involved in its production.
Introduction
One of the most significant sources of natural fibre is jute (Corchorus olitorius L.), an annual flowering plant in the lime family (Tiliaceae). It covers about 80% of global plant fiber production.
Jute is cultivated in environments that provide warm, humid, seasonal climatic conditions suitable for its growth. Visit Jute Cultivation to find out more about cultivating jute.
India and Bangladesh are among the leading producers. It is widely used in bulk agricultural packaging due to its high tensile strength, low stretch, moderate moisture retention capacity, and good air permeability.
Jute Fiber Production Steps
1. Selection or Sorting
In the raw jute sorting process, bales are opened to inspect for defects, and faulty parts are removed by workers. Raw jute is classified into two types: 150 kg and 180 kg, with or without the top section cut. Raw jute bales are also classified according to their end use, such as
- Jute twine,
- Packaging bags,
- and wrapping twine.
Additionally, raw jute is classified by production batch, with three main grades commonly known as A, B, and C, where
- C is very good.
- B is good.
- and A is poor.
2. Piecing Up
- The ropes are cut with an axe and set aside for processing.
- The jute fibers are piled tightly and then loosened by hammering.
- The thicker layers are then divided into bundles, each weighing 2 to 3 pounds. Different types of jute are mixed, resulting in different colors and textures. The fibers are semi-unwound, so beating is unnecessary.
- Skilled workers separate the damaged jute fibers, which are set aside and used to produce lower-quality yarn.
- The jute cuttings are pressed while the roots are still damp because they are very hard and difficult to separate from the bale. The bales are then cut or broken by hammering and separated by hand.
3. Softening
The softening process makes jute pliable, soft, and combable. Jute fibers and joints in jute mesh are treated with an oil-water emulsion to make the material suitable for further processing. The jute is cleaned of any foreign matter present during this treatment. Emulsifiers are classified according to the type of product being manufactured.
Did You Know?
Mineral oil is used as the softening medium for all standard jute products.
The oil-water emulsion, along with the pressure exerted by the fluted rollers through which it passes, moistens the fibers, making them pliable. Two methods are used for softening:
- Using a softening machine.
- Using a jute spreader.
An emulsion plant equipped with a jute softening machine is typically used to oil and soften raw jute bark, thereby reducing its viscosity. The emulsion plant consists of a gear pump, a motor, a tank, a jet sprayer, nozzles, an emulsion tank, and a jacket.
4. Pilling
The jute fibers are covered with a tight-fitting covering for 48 to 72 hours after the pilling process using an emulsion. This helps soften the jute seeds through biological processes.
5. Carding
Carding is a process used to convert long, net-like jute fibers into spinnable fibers of a specific linear density. Carding typically occurs in two or three stages. The net-like jute fibers are passed through a series of carding machines, arranged in an increasing order of fineness. There are three distinct sections of the carding process:
- Breaker Carding,
- Inner carding,
- Finisher carding.
The breaker card machine is used to break down the meshy structure of jute into individual long fibers, and remove dust and other impurities. By operating different rollers, this machine transforms raw jute into thin slivers, ready for final carding.
Remember
In this process, cutting the roots is necessary before feeding the material into the hand-feed breaker carding machine.
It then passes through the inner and finisher carding machines, becoming somewhat uniform, while fibers remain somewhat mixed. The finisher carding machine makes the sliver produced by the breaker carding machine more uniform and consistent. The finisher combing machine is the same as the breaker combing machine except for its speed, pinning configurations, and additional pairs of rollers and staves.
6. Drawing
Drawing reduces the width and thickness of jute sliver by combining 4–6 slivers. Usually, 3 drawing passages are used for hessian and 2 for sacking.
- First Drawing: Combines and blends 4 or more slivers to make them more even, uniform, and level while improving quality and colour.
- Second Drawing: Uses about 6 slivers from the first drawing to produce a more uniform sliver and reduce it to a suitable size for the next stage.
- Third Drawing: Uses sliver from the second drawing and operates at high speed, producing a more crimped sliver suitable for spinning.
7. Roving
The sliver from the comber is too thick to feed directly into the ring frame. It is first processed by the roving frame, which converts thick drawn sliver into thin, low-twist roving suitable for yarn production in the ring frame.
Did You Know?
The roving frame plays a crucial role in the spinning process. Various yarn defects can arise from improper drawing or twisting. Proper roving improves yarn properties.
8. Spinning
Spinning transforms sliver into yarn by elongation and twisting to achieve the required linear density and strength. The process converts individual fibers into a cohesive, continuous yarn. Natural fibers generally undergo opening, blending, carding, drawing, and roving before spinning.
The spinning frame uses a slip-draft zone and auto-doffing system for efficient production of quality yarn. A 4-pitch slip-draft sliver frame is available with 20–100 spindles, producing 8–28 lb at a flyer speed of 3200–4000 rpm. It produces different yarn types using bobbins, including food-grade HFC, sacking warp, and hessian weft.
9. Winding
Winding is the transfer of yarn from one package to another for further processing. The package and yarn must be suitable for the next process, taking into account factors such as winding tension and package pressure.
Types of winding:
- Precision winding: Yarn coils are placed closely in parallel or near-parallel layers, producing a dense package with maximum yarn storage.
- Non-precision (drum) winding: Yarn is wound at a helix angle, causing layers to cross and provide package stability. The package is less dense but more stable.
10. Beaming
In beaming, yarn from spools is wound onto a beam of the correct width and number of ends for weaving jute cloth. The warp yarn is coated with starch paste and requires adequate moisture. This improves cloth quality and weaving efficiency. Key beam characteristics include width, number of ends, and weight.
11. Weaving
Weaving is the process of interlacing two types of yarns, warp and weft, to produce a durable fabric. In the weaving section, there are separate looms for hessian and sacking.
- The hessian loom features a shuttle that allows for manual reel changes.
- The sacking looms, on the other hand, are equipped with an automatic loading system for automatically loading the reels of fabric.
There are three primary motions:
- Shedding: Separating warp yarns into two layers to form a shed.
- Picking: Inserting the filling (weft) yarn through the shed.
- Beating: Pushing the filling yarn into the woven fabric at the fell using the reed.
12. Cutting
A yarn-cutting device for mechanical looms uses two blade carriers with end-side blades. An electrically powered linear motor drives at least one blade carrier to cut the yarn between the blades.
13. Folding
The folding station uses pneumatically controlled claws to fold the skein in half and push it through a hollow tubular support with a pre-formed paper band. A doffing mechanism then removes the folded skein and band, positioning the band around the skein’s center. The apparatus also wraps and seals the band around the tube before inserting the skein.
14. Sewing
Sewing threads are made for smooth, efficient stitching without breaking or distortion. Their main function is to join textiles, leather, and other materials to form garments or products. Sewing Operations:
- Mechanical: Stapling, sewing.
- Physical: Welding, heat-setting.
- Chemical: Using resins.
Did You Know?
Sewing remains the main mechanical method due to its simplicity, economy, advanced production, and controllable seam elasticity. Physical and chemical seam formation is limited to specialised uses because it can alter textile properties.
15. Baling
Yarn baling presses are widely used in the textile industry for baling hank yarn. Because they are constructed from premium materials, they are long-lasting, easy to use, require little maintenance, and have a long working life. The presses can also be customised according to customer specifications.
16. Export
Yarn is exported in accordance with quality standards and customer specifications. Once these requirements are met, it can be exported; if not, it is returned for additional processing.
Sources
- Process Flow Chart and Factor Analysis in Production of a Jute Mill
- Jute: Old World Fiber to New World Fashion
©Eman Abdallah Kamel, 2026
About the author: Eman is a textile engineer and writer. She holds a bachelor’s degree in textile science from Egypt’s Faculty of Applied Arts.
Latest Posts
- The History of Wool
- Forests: Importance, Threats, and Conservation
- Textile Fibers: Definition, Classification, and Types
- Tie-Dye Techniques and Process: A Guide to Spiral-Pattern T-Shirts
- The Art of Batik: Traditional Types, Techniques, and Process
Leave a Reply