Burlap material is cloth which has been woven from the fibers gathered from hemp, jute or flax. The plants are known for their rough, course fibers so this translates into the cloth that is woven from it. Burlap, once woven, is equally as rough as the natural fiber and has a very open weave; the natural color is dusty beige. The original uses for burlap were to produce inexpensive sacks which were used for bulk products such as potatoes, coffee and grain. These sacks, as they were originally imprinted with the original manufacturer or producer, as well as the contents are used today as a highly sought after decorative accessory.
Jute, the base fiber for burlap material has been used in India for centuries; its original use was for twine, heavier rope and even in paper production. In the very late 1700s the first jute was exported from India to Scotland where a process was developed which allowed for spinning the material in very large quantities. This of course greatly expanded the production of jute and by 1940 there were thousands of looms in India producing many tons of burlap. As a result of the partition of India, the major world producer now is Pakistan.
There are many uses for burlap material other than sacks. Because of its inherent strength it is extremely hard to tear; it can stand up to great forces and pressure and is extremely resistant to all kinds of weather. When burlap gets wet, it dries without any evidence of rotting. Burlap is not just used for sacks, it is used as a weather break, trees and shrubs have their roots balled in burlap, and it is used on hillsides when new grass is hydro-seeded. Burlap is used extensively in the manufacture of soft furniture such as sofas and east chairs.
Although burlap is considered a “poor relation” to canvas, which is a closely aligned fabric, burlap is often chosen to replace paper and plastic in shopping bags. Although burlap is tough, it will eventually see the end of its useful life, at this time is disintegrates with no harm to the environment. Burlap has been used for inexpensive clothing but due to the coarseness of jute fibers it is not comfortable and rarely worn.
