How feasible is paper made of jute

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Monday, April 9, 2018

https://dailyasianage.com/news/116318/how-feasible-is-paper-made-of-jute

How feasible is paper made of jute?

M S Siddiqui Globally farmers harvest around 35 million tons each year of natural fibers from a wide range of plants and animals - from sheep, rabbits, goats, camels and alpacas, from cotton bolls, abaca and sisal leaves and coconut husks, and from the stalks of jute, hemp, flax and ramie plants. Those fibers used for fabrics, ropes etc and very much useful for the society for thousands of years.

Jute is one of those natural and environment-friendly biodegradable fiber, having versatile usage.

Bangladesh is the second largest producer of jute in the world, with annual production estimated at 1.349 million tons. Bangladesh remains the world's largest exporter of jute fiber, accounting for as much as 70 percent of global jute exports. The jute fiber produced in Bangladesh is often considered the best quality in the world.

These natural fibers are challenged by synthetic fiber by man-made fibers such as acrylic, nylon, polyester and polypropylene. Unlike natural fibers, commonly used synthetic fibers are mass produced from petrochemicals to uniform strengths, lengths and colors, easily customized to specific applications. Over the last half century, natural fibers have been displaced in our clothing, household furnishings, industries and agriculture for price and quality.

One the other hand, natural fibers are a healthier than synthetic fiber. The European luxury car industry is replacing glass fibers in plastic panels with natural fibers, which reduces skin and respiratory irritation. The best nature fiber available in Bangladesh is Jute. It has various benefits and advantages. Jute and jute goods are bio-degradable and re-usable. The lush green jute plants help protect environment and maintain ecological balance. It reportedly absorbs heat and keeps the earth cool. The young tender leaves of jute plants are eaten as vegetables. Jute cultivation enriches the fertility of the soil for the other next crops.

The production process of jute goods is simple and unlike synthetics it does not involve use of harmful chemicals. Jute bags preserve the quality of dry food items like rice and wheat as air can pass through jute bags easily. Jute bags are safe for storage purposes. Jute bags are also easy to handle both manually and mechanically. Geo-jute cloth made geo-textiles for construction of roads and embankments, soil saving and erosion control mechanism. Smaller volumes and more long term opportunities exist with all jute carpets, furnishings, garden centers, automobile insulation, soft luggage, shopping bags, wiping cloths, and laminates.

Jute has become multi-dimensional with the introduction of modern technology and innovation of sue of jute in high value products. One of these uses is production of Paper from non-wood materials including Jute. Jute is under process to introduce in production of denim fabrics in Bangladesh and other countries. As a result, use of jute is not only limited to sack, hessian, rope and carpet; it is being used as raw material for fashion and luxurious products also. At present, from jute yarn, fiber and fabric more than 100 different types of products are produced.

The jute yarn got new varieties to attract the customers. Those are made of varieties of colored and finished jute yarns include dyed yarn, finer yarn, polished yarn, fancy yarn, core yarn, fused yarn, cable yarn, knitted bag, hammock, sandals, shoes, parts of shoe, etc. Jute fabric products include checked fabric, light fabric, designed fabric, treated fabric, laminated fabric, Union fabric, printed fabric, gift wrap, suitcase, briefcase, seminar bags, files, folder, etc.

Other important innovations of jute are fire proof jute fabric, wrought proof jute nursery pot, jute wool and jute derived absorbent cotton and sanitary napkin. Among fiber products there are jute composites, paper, paper products, pulp, Medicare textiles, non-woven product wipes, cellulose, bolding materials, floor tiles, CMC, MCC, technical fibers, panels, sits, etc.

Some of the countries banned use of plastic products and also impose higher tax to discourage sue of synthetic products to protect environment. All these increasing demand for jute bag and other jute products. Bangladesh also banned use of plastic bags in general and also imposes mandatory condition for use of jute bags for food packaging. There is a billion dollar market for only shopping bags in the world.

As a result export earnings are increasing and within the country also demand for jute is increasing. Due to increase in awareness our people are also using different jute products, so like other countries demand for jute products in Bangladesh is also increasing.

Bangladesh and other countries are working on diversified jute products (JDP). Some Bangladesh small and medium enterprises (SME) are making various products such as jute paper, travel bag, hand bag, cushion, lampshade, table cloth, garden products, designer jute bag, shopping bag, laundry basket, floor mat, decoration pieces, stationery products, dresses, many different things are produced. Some SMEs are even exporting quality JDPs to other countries. These are developed and supported by some Non-government organizations (NGO).

The performance of Bangladesh Jute Research institute (BJRI)is very frustrating but they have reportedly innovated a technique to produce fine quality yarn for making jute textile to meet both domestic and export demand. This is made by blending jute with cotton and there are 8, 10, 15 and 20 count yarns. BJRI has been successful to make this by blending 50 percent jute with 50 percent cotton.

BJRI also improved quality of low graded jute, developed value added jute products, microcrystalline cellulose used as low cost carrier for medicine, and many other important derivatives, production techniques and also modernized machineries used for product development. Let us hope that the technology will be transferred to appropriate entrepreneurs for further development and commercial production of these products, which will in turn open up new horizons for jute.

Now-a-days, in our country denim, shirt piece, curtains, bed sheet, saree, etc. are produced by blending jute and cotton. The honorable Prime Minister was kind to wears a special type of jamdani saree which is also being made of jute textile.

The growing demand of pulp and paper worldwide on a continuous basis and increase of public awareness on environmental issues have created conditions to check depletion of forest resources through using jute for producing pulp and paper. Today, about 90 percent of all pulps are being produced from wood. It is known that papermaking was invented from non-wood materials in China almost 2000 years ago. Textile rags, cereal straw, reeds, grasses, and sugar cane bagasse have been used in pulping and papermaking ever since, especially in Asia.

The prospect of making paper pulp from non-wood agricultural waste and Jute is the widely discussed issue in Bangladesh and other countries. Other agricultural wastes like rice straw, dhainch

a, golpata fronds, cotton stalks, corn stalks, and kash are also available and may be used for some pulp production. Given the different properties of these different non-wood fibers, jute pulp can be used as a reinforcing agent with other non-wood pulps for the production of high quality paper in Bangladesh. Although, there is no study on the amount of agricultural wastes available in Bangladesh.

One of those prospects is production of pulp and paper from jute. It is understood that bio-pulping project has been designed incorporating the development and progress made in the different Institutes and paper mills of USA, Canada and Europe. Some of the institutes namely : BJRI and BCIC from Bangladesh, IBFC and Yuanjiang Mill from China, CPPRI from India, CTP from France and ATO from the Netherlands also involved in the project.

There were some experiments conducted at KPM (BCIC), CTP and CPPRI. All these institutes have optimized the condition. In all these three Institutes bleachable grade pulp with yield of 48 percent was obtained. Similarly at BCIC and CPPRI bleachable grade of pulp of Kappa No. 20 was obtained with 48-50 percent yield in Kraft process. Yield and quality of this pulp is similar to that of bamboo and bagasse.

Jute sector has been facing stiff competition from synthetic substitutes for the latter being relatively cheaper and easier to handle. Bangladesh still prefers to export raw jute or traditional jute bags and yarn to world market. Trade in raw jute suffered mainly due to price competition from synthetics. The international trading and transportation also have many limitations. The production also depends upon nature.

There is not much that can be done to compete with synthetics on price although synthetic products are now subject to higher tax and restriction on use to protect environment. Since the prospect of traditional jute products is not bright, diversification is considered to be the only option to salvage the jute sector. The only way for survival of jute is use of jute for use in high value products.

Let us hope that the Jute will be non-wood raw materials of pulp and paper and the glory of jute will come back. Jute will be a driver of economic activities of Bangladesh. Let us wait for a technoeconomic feasibility study of jute made paper.

The writer is a legal economist