Hessian fabric facts for kids
Hessian is a strong, woven fabric. It's also called burlap in the United States and Canada, or crocus in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean. This fabric is made from natural plant fibers. These usually come from the skin of the jute plant or from sisal leaves.
Hessian is often used for tough jobs. For example, it makes strong sacks for shipping farm products. It's also used for sandbags. Even though plastic fabrics are sometimes used now, hessian is still popular. This is because it's a dense fabric that can be made into a finer material. It's also seen as an eco-friendly choice for bags, rugs, and other items.
The name "hessian" comes from history. Soldiers from a German region called Hesse used this fabric for parts of their uniforms. They were known as "Hessians". Hessian cloth comes in different types, sizes, and colors. The word burlap might come from old words meaning "coarse cloth" or "peasant's cloth".
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History of Hessian Fabric
Hessian fabric first came from India in the early 1800s. People traditionally used it as a backing material. This included backing for linoleum, rugs, and carpets.
In Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean, hessian is called Crocus. Many workers on plantations in the past did not have nice materials for clothes. Some had cotton to make clothing. But others had to use rough sacking material. These clever workers recycled old sacks. They made them into clothes. These clothes were not very comfortable. But they protected them from the sun and dust. Today, some traditional Jamaican Maroon costumes use fabric like this. This shows respect for the cleverness of those workers who became free. For other people, hessian was used to make bags. These bags carried coffee and other goods.
What Hessian is Used For
Hessian is often used to make gunny sacks. These sacks ship goods like coffee beans and rooibos tea. Hessian is breathable, which means air can pass through it. This helps stop moisture from building up. So, the things inside the bags stay fresh and don't spoil. It is also strong enough for rough handling during shipping.
These qualities also make it useful in building. Hessian is used as a wet cover. It stops cement and concrete from drying too fast. This helps them set properly. Hessian sacks filled with sand are also great for sandbags. People use sandbags to build temporary walls against floods. They also use them for field fortifications.
Shipping Goods Safely
Bags made from hessian jute fabric are often used to move farm products. These hessian jute bags are commonly called gunnysacks. They ship wool, tobacco, and cotton. They also carry foods like coffee, flour, vegetables, and grains.
Hessian jute lets air get to the contents of the bags. This is great for stopping or reducing rot caused by trapped moisture. Sometimes, hessian can even be specially treated. This helps it avoid certain types of rot and decay.
Hessian is also used to transport dry tobacco that hasn't been processed yet. It's used for tobacco for the same reasons it's used for coffee. Hessian sacks in the tobacco industry can hold up to 200 kilograms (440 pounds) of tobacco. Because hessian is so tough, a hessian sack can last for up to three years.
Hessian in Landscaping and Farming
Hessian is used to wrap the roots of trees and shrubs. This happens when they are being moved to a new place. It also helps stop soil from washing away on steep hills. A big benefit of hessian jute fabric is that it's made from natural plant fibers. This means it can completely break down over time.
This quality makes it very useful in landscaping and farming. It's great for outdoor projects that need fabric support. When young trees are moved, landscapers often use hessian jute. It helps make sure the trees arrive safely. They wrap hessian jute fabric around the roots and soil of a tree. This happens soon after the tree is dug up. The fabric lets air reach the soil. Hessian also resists too much moisture. This stops mold or rot from growing.
Once planted, young trees might need hessian jute for protection. It can keep away mice and other small animals. These animals might try to eat the tree's bark. To protect trees, landscapers often wrap hessian jute around their trunks.
Besides protecting from animals, hessian jute can also protect trees from too much sun and wind. Landscapers can build windbreaks using hessian jute. This helps them control the environment for young trees. It gives the trees a better chance to grow strong. Then they can handle tougher weather.
For planting grass on steep slopes or areas with a lot of soil erosion, hessian jute can help. A layer of hessian jute tacked over grass seeds can stop them from being moved. Rain, runoff, or wind won't wash them away. Landscapers use this fabric for many things. This is because it is strong, lasts a long time, resists moisture, and protects well.
Hessian for Clothing
Hessian is not often used for modern clothes because it feels rough. However, this roughness gave it a use in history. During the Great Depression in the US, cloth was hard to find. Many farming families used burlap cloth to sew their own clothes. But wearing it for a long time can cause skin rashes for some people.
Hessian is also used to make ghillie suits. These are special suits for camouflage. They help people blend into their surroundings. Hessian was also a popular material for camouflage on combat helmets during World War II. Before modern camouflage nets, burlap was woven into fishing nets. This created large military camouflage nets.
Hessian in Art
Artists have used hessian as a surface for painting. It can be stretched like cotton or linen canvas.
Hessian for Beekeeping
Hessian fabric is often used as fuel for bee smokers in beekeeping. It creates a lot of smoke and is easy to light.
Hessian as a Building Material
In Australia, during the 1800s and early 1900s, hessian fabric was used to build simple homes. This was especially true in mining towns. It was also used in settlements for people without jobs during the Great Depression.
These simple homes were cheap to build. They were somewhere between a tent and a permanent house. People often painted the hessian walls with lime wash or house paint. This made the walls stronger, more waterproof, and look nicer. Hessian fabric was also used to make simple walls inside these homes. The roofs were usually corrugated iron, but sometimes canvas. The floors were often made of earth. Hessian was also used to line the inside of some slab huts in Australia.
See also
In Spanish: Arpillera para niños
