History of Jute

Due to the silky texture and golden shine the jute fiber is also called golden fiber. It is made from the skin or bast of the jute plant and is the most cost effective fiber after cotton. This eco-friendly fiber is recyclable, bio degradable and is versatile as well. Due to its versatility, it has got multi utility in different segments like - raw material in textile & non textile industries, packaging, construction and agricultural sector.

Ancient period Jute
During Mughal era in India, jute clothes were worn by the poor villagers. Earlier in West Bengal, ropes and twines used for different domestic household applications are made of white jute. Apart from textile application, Chinese paper manufacturers used jute plants to abstract paper.

Time period from 17th century
Jute trading started in India between 17th to 20th century with a team of delegation sent through East India Company by British Empire. Initially the delegation started with trading raw jute. The first jute mill in India was set up in early 20th century by Margaret Donnelly in Dundee. The first shipment of jute product was signed in 1793 by East India Company. During the same period, the Scotlanders were experimenting on whether jute fiber can be mechanically processed. 1830 is the year when the flax machines were used by Dundee spinners for spinning jute yarns. Since Dundee mill was the only supplier of jute, the use of flax machine ultimately led to increase in production and export of jute products in entire continent.

Time period from year 1855
The major jute growing areas were mainly in Bengal at the Kolkata side. When Mr. George Acland had brought jute spinning machinery from Dundee to India, the first power driven weaving factory was established at Rishra, on the River Hooghly near Calcutta in year 1855. By the year 1869, five mills were established with around 950 looms. The growth was so fast that, by the year 1910, 38 companies were operating around 30,685 looms, rendering more than a billion yards of cloth and over 450 million bags. Till the middle of year 1880, jute industry has acquired almost whole Dundee and Calcutta. Later in 19th century, manufacturing of jute has started in other countries also like in France, America, Italy, Austria, Russia, Belgium and Germany.

Time period from 19th century till 1947
19th century witnessed a huge growth in jute industry. About 68,377 weaving looms were established in by the end of 1939 on the River Hooghly near Calcutta. Sacking bags for packaging made by Hessian or burlap fabrics are the main jute weaved products manufactured at that period. The looms in Calcutta manufactured the finest burlap and jute packaging material which is why they became the leading jute weaver in the world.

Time period after the year 1947
After Independence, most of the jute industrialists left India and the mills were taken over by Marwari business people. During the partition epic, the finest stock of jute and mills were left to East Pakistan. By then tensions between Pakistan and India already started. Pakistan realized the importance of jute industry, this led to mass establishment of jute mills in Narayanganj. Then, the liberation of Bangladesh took over Pakistan in 1971. The liberation not only took over Pakistan but the jute mills as well. The jute mills were then taken over by Bangladesh government from the liberation. Later, the Bangladesh government formed BJMC ( Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation ) to monitor and run jute mills in the country.