The latest jute ranges don't encompass only utilitarian products like office partitions, ceiling paneling, soft luggage, briefcases, shoe uppers, curtains, drapery and cushion covers, and ornamental products like wall hangings, fancy bags, shopping bags and totes, but also ethnic garments like jackets, waist coats, kurtas, overcoats, skirts and pherans.

Coming in myriad textures and weaves, these products may be made of jute or jute blended with other natural or synthetic fibres like wool, cotton, silk, nylon, rayon, acrylic or polypropylene. Spinning of high quality yarns and weaving of light-weight fine-textured jute fabrics are done in both jute mills and handloom sector. While jute is easily spun on the miniature spinning system, handloom is ideally suited to make jute fabrics.

With vastly improvedbleaching and dyeing techniques, now jute can even be imparted exotic colours ranging from cream, red, purple, blue, black and yellow to steel grey. Jute lends itself even to vegetable dyeing.

The traditional excellence of Indian craftsmen and artisans in block printing, applique and embroidery further enhances desirability of jute products. Jute is not gaining acceptance only because of these value additions, though. Jute has many inherent advantages, too. These include its long staple lengths, natural golden colour, high tensile strength, silky lustre, low extensibility, and heat and fire resistance. Jute is also cheaper than cotton and khadi.

Besides, it's eco-friendly. Jute is biodegradable and renewable. The composted jute also enriches soil if toxic dyes are not used in various stages of development. And being a natural derivative of the jute plant, it's in abundant supply and even economically viable in India.

The success in raising jute from the packaging status of goods to the packaging of bodybeautiful is the culmination of relentless research by Indian jute industries, research institutions, promotional initiatives by government bodies like the Jute Manufacturers Development Council, and pioneering work by designers like Prabha Mohanty (see box).

Of course, their work is by no means over. They still have to work on its demerits. Jute is coarse, brittle, rugged and abrasive. Besides, it cannot be exposed for too long to the sun or washed frequently. But considering the fact that it has been possible for researchers to bring jute this far, it should be only a matter of time before these drawbacks are also corrected to enable the golden fibre to have a glowing future.