Native to India and China, jute traditionally has been used for everything from imitation silk to burlap sacks. The soft, flexible fiber has abrasion-resistant properties that help it stand up well to wear and tear.
Design Characteristics
At Merida, we select fibers for our 100% jute rugs based on length, flexibility, strength and luster. The fibers are carefully spun to produce strong, consistent yarns. Depending on the design, the rugs are woven either by hand or on semi-automatic looms.
The look and feel of jute results in truly distinctive rugs. The fiber's natural, warm shades of brown and grey showcase beautiful organic variation. Meanwhile, our thick, bold weave structures make for a cushiony walking surface and add a strong textural element to any room.
Sustainability
Jute plants grow quickly and are inexpensive to grow and process. Merida's eco-friendly jute yarns are 100% biodegradable and completely undyed. (The different colors are a natural result of the retting process described below.)
We currently use a natural/synthetic latex compound as backing for our jute rugs to enhance the stability of their weaving. In order to achieve 100% biodegradability, however, we are working hard to design and develop well-performing jute rugs with degradable backing or no backing at all.
Our jute partner is located in Kerala, India, which has some of the highest levels of social development and labor standards of any Indian state. Our partner has exemplary environmental management systems, as signified by its ISO 14001 certification (which sets worldwide accepted standards). It also has earned SA8000 certification, attesting to its superb social and labor practices.
Cultivation & Fiber Extraction
Kerala's humid, tropical climate and rich, loamy soil make the region ideal for jute cultivation. After harvesting, the jute stalks are bundled together and soaked in water for two to three weeks. This retting process softens the stalk tissue and separates the fibers from the rest of the plant.
The jute fibers are then stripped from the stalks, washed and hung in the sun to dry for two to three days before being spun into yarn and woven.
Design Characteristics
At Merida, we select fibers for our 100% jute rugs based on length, flexibility, strength and luster. The fibers are carefully spun to produce strong, consistent yarns. Depending on the design, the rugs are woven either by hand or on semi-automatic looms.
The look and feel of jute results in truly distinctive rugs. The fiber's natural, warm shades of brown and grey showcase beautiful organic variation. Meanwhile, our thick, bold weave structures make for a cushiony walking surface and add a strong textural element to any room.
Sustainability
Jute plants grow quickly and are inexpensive to grow and process. Merida's eco-friendly jute yarns are 100% biodegradable and completely undyed. (The different colors are a natural result of the retting process described below.)
We currently use a natural/synthetic latex compound as backing for our jute rugs to enhance the stability of their weaving. In order to achieve 100% biodegradability, however, we are working hard to design and develop well-performing jute rugs with degradable backing or no backing at all.
Our jute partner is located in Kerala, India, which has some of the highest levels of social development and labor standards of any Indian state. Our partner has exemplary environmental management systems, as signified by its ISO 14001 certification (which sets worldwide accepted standards). It also has earned SA8000 certification, attesting to its superb social and labor practices.
Cultivation & Fiber Extraction
Kerala's humid, tropical climate and rich, loamy soil make the region ideal for jute cultivation. After harvesting, the jute stalks are bundled together and soaked in water for two to three weeks. This retting process softens the stalk tissue and separates the fibers from the rest of the plant.
The jute fibers are then stripped from the stalks, washed and hung in the sun to dry for two to three days before being spun into yarn and woven.
