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Industrial Jute Goods -
Jute Felt |
Jute Webbing |
Popularly known as the "Golden Fiber", jute is not only the most affordable and strongest of all natural fibers, but is also considered as the future's fiber.
In the textile fiber industry, it comes second to cotton in terms of production.
Also known as kosta, pat, nalita, bimli or kenaf, jute is widely produced in India, Bangladesh, Thailand and China.
These countries have rich alluvial soils, ideal for growing such fiber crop, which is known for its scientific name Chorchorus olitorius. Derivatives of the crop include jute felt and jute webbings among others. |
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One of the widely used fabrics that come from the plant is jute felt. Defined as a fabric of matted and compressed jute fibers, vegetable and other synthetic fibers are mixed with the raw material to produce jute felt. Jute's flexible, minute and barb-like scales allow it to interlock and produce jute felt.
Increasingly used as an industrial good, jute felt is a popular and an excellent insulation material. It is also used in making papers such as those in packaging goods.
Also, just like any other types of felts, jute felt is termed
according to the manufacturing process it undergoes.
Commonly
known felts are called needle-punched, woven, blown, stitched
and quilted.
Felting is a primitive art that antedates weaving. During the Industrial Revolution, manual methods have been superseded by mechanical operations. |
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However, the revolution has not changed the principles of felt
making. Meaning, a finished jute felt is still produced in a
range of consistencies from soft cloth to a dense sheet. The
rolled ones are finished and dyed while sheet felts are sawn.
The felting process is made pliable by heat. In order to soften and lubricate the fibers for the process, soap and other sources of moisture are applied.
The interlocking and matting of the fiber are made possible
by subjecting the raw material to agitation, which is almost
similar to rubbing.
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