Skin Sensitivity

Jute is not a natural skin irritant like some fabrics. It’s also UV resistant so it protects your skin from burning.

Jute Clothing

People living on the Indian Subcontinent and in Asia have been wearing jute clothing for thousands of years. Jute textiles have been traced all the way back to the 3^rd millennium BC in the Indus Valley.

It’s believed that it was used even earlier. Its ease of processing into usable products, low cost, availability, and suitability for the climate made it an attractive option. 

Most of the time when you say jute, you envision burlap. This wouldn’t make very comfortable clothing. The jute used in clothing is finer than burlap. Historically, in India, those that could afford it likely wore clothing made from cotton or silk, but the majority of the population wore jute-based clothing.

Today, jute is used to make blended clothing — soft sweaters and cardigans. 30-40% jute is combined with silk, wool, or cotton to make fine sweaters. 60-70% jute is blended with viscose, acrylic, or cotton to make shawls, blankets, or heavier sweaters.

The finest fibers are used, especially on the Indian Subcontinent, to make “imitation silk” or “art silk”. It’s often used to make sarees and men’s clothing, both dress and casual, at a lower cost than silk.

Jute has been used in making espadrilles for men and women for centuries. It’s inexpensive, tough, durable, and plentiful.

They are perpetually popular throughout the world with high-end fashion houses such as Hermes, Prada, Versace, and St. Lauren selling their version of this summer classic. Of course, they are also sold by many other manufacturers such as Toms, Diego’s, Tommy Hilfiger, Kentti, and Soludos.

Finer jute cloth is also used to make luggage and totes. Because of the high tensile strength, even relatively lightweight bags will cart a lot.