Introduction to Jute: The Golden Fiber
A Jute bag is made from a plantation fibre (classified as a vegetable) that is made from the plantation family called Tiliaceae or Malvaceae. This fibre is spun much like a heavy duty rope to create strands of thread. Its typically rough and course in feel and commonly you can see them in their untreated brown form. Its a very low cost material similar to calico bags (cotton) as well as Non Woven Bags (PVC plastic material).
Jute Bags are our 4th best selling type of promotional bag behind:
1) Non Woven Bags
2) Calico Bags
3) Nylon Bags (like backpacks & duffle bags)
4) Jute Bags
To create a Jute Bag the first thing that is needed is the stem of a Jute plant. Only the outer skin is used. This type of plant is mainly exported from Bangladesh and the crop is quite durable and easy to grow even with limited fertilizer and insectisides. Generally just natural rain sunshine and common soil is required. This plant is then processed and used to create the material.
The good thing about Jute bags compared to other fabrics is that it is extremely durable. It will take an enourmous amount of stress pressure to tear a Jute Bag which makes it very durable and resistant to “stretching,” which effects the aesthetic of a bag and how durable it is. Best of all the production process required means that it is very sustainable and less resource intensive when producing the fabric.
Today Jute bags can be found as: 1) Super market Eco Bags 2) Conference bags 3) Expo bags
They are a great promotional item because they are not only eco friendly but they also retain their shape a lot better than other bags leading to a typically longer use lifespan. The Jute fabric is also quite flexible in creating both a course fabric as well as a very fine fabric which is so smooth that it has been used as a substitute for silk. This allows the Jute bag to be created in many different variations in both quality and aesthetics to suit a wide range of use.
Our recommendation if opting for the popular middle of the range brown jute bag is to brand in Reflex Pantone Red Green or Black for maximum clarity. Other colours work but arent as nice on a brown surface. The typical promotional jute bag gives a lovely finish which is quite earthy and very appealing compared to the sometimes “plastic,” look and feel of a non woven bag or the flopy nature of a calico bag. When a Jute bag eventually reaches the end of its useable life the promotional bag becomes 100% bio degradable and simply dissolves harmlessly within landfill. A custom branded jute bag is not water proof though. In fact it is not even splash proof as the fibre is much more loose than both non woven and calico cotton fabric. So for events with an anticipated rainy day it is definitely a bag to avoid as it absorbs and leaks water very very easily.
