Mat Purple
Jute Bags The Fair Trade Way
Since the demise of free plastic shopping bags given away in abundance with each weekly shop, the ‘bag for life’ or the jute bag has become the eco-friendly alternative. They are now widely available in all major high street chains and supermarkets to purchase as a bag with strength and longevity so as to enable re-use time and time again. Their availability has had a massive impact on the shunning of the plastic bag which have been widely publicised for unnecessarily clogging up landfills and littering the environment harming the beauty of landscapes and being detrimental to wildlife.
So why is jute considered as an acceptable alternative to the plastic giveaway? One of the primary reasons is because jute is bio-degradable unlike the man-made plastic bag. Since jute is a natural fibre harvested from the outer layer of the Corchorus plant’s stem it can break down naturally over time and reabsorb into the earth making it 100% eco-friendly.
Secondly, jute is a sustainable material growing in abundance in countries such as Bangladesh, China and Thailand. However, India is the main source of supply where over 60% of the world’s production is harvested. Interestingly Bihar and West Bengal account for 50% of the country’s output, while five other states grow jute (Assam, Orissa, Tripura, Meghalaya and Uttar Pradesh). The sum total of a massive one million hectares of land is dedicated to jute cultivation in India farmed by over four million families in over 76 jute mills across the country.
Thirdly, it is considered to be the cheapest and most important natural vegetable fibre after cotton. There are a number of reasons for this. As described above, jute is grown in abundance and where harvesting can occur within 4 months after sowing this material can be produced quickly and consistently to meet demands. There is a huge global consumption with USA, UK, South Africa and Belgium being the most prolific importers of jute, 25% of which comes from India.
Jute is said to have over 800 uses making it a highly versatile commodity. Since it is a natural fibre, the structure of jute provides a material with good ventilation and for this reason it is used extensively as packaging material in agricultural industries such as storage and food grain transportation for example. It is also used for more common household commodities for the consumer such as carpets, rugs, curtains, baskets and bags.
So not only is jute a sustainable material in India, it is also eco-friendly and highly versatile as the above exemplifies.
In addition to these advantageous properties, a large selection of jute merchandise is directly produced in India by fair trade co-operatives made up of communities and extended families. Such groups produce items like rugs, mats, belts and bags for the consumer who wants to purchase eco-friendly, ethically produced products.
One such conglomerate, Earth Bags, is based in Kolkata, India, giving employment to women and self-help groups. They produce a beautiful selection of bags made from natural or dyed jute using organic colourings. The bags have been hand silk screen printed using traditional techniques in a variety of metallic and vibrant colours. Adding to the Eastern designs, some are embellished with sequins or hand embroidered in rich, opulent colours and each is truly stunning.
So if you are looking for a handcrafted jute bag, something ethnic or something eco-friendly and ethically produced, then look no further than fair trade products as these will most probably serve your purpose.
About the Author
Hand made jute bags and fair trade jewellery by Belinda Bryant. fair trade jewellery can be found at Indigo Ocean Trading.
Kristian Schultz, Yamasaki vs.Tobias Höst, Legacy Bjj/Check Mat, purple, -100,5 kg
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