When it comes to being more earth friendly, consumers are always at a lost on which to buy when it comes to jute or cotton bags as they are both beneficial in so many ways. Both cotton and jute bags have the same green credentials. While jute is more on the social responsibility side, cotton is more on the organic side for the planet. Here is a breakdown on the benefits of jute and cotton bags:

The benefits of jute:

Strength- Jute bags are more robust and stronger than organic cotton as cotton is softer and thinner-not really good elements for a sturdy bag.

Pricing- Jute is found in more tropical countries and these countries often have a lower cost of living and although jute production is quite labor intensive, the lower cost of labor makes jute bags quite cheap. When compared to cotton production and manufacturing, their production and freight is costlier. Though that, if you compare heavier grades of cotton, jute bags are more economical.

Social responsibility- Jute is often grown in Bangladesh, India and Thailand. It’s production is labor intensive because it is not suitable for mechanical harvesting unlike cotton therefore jute production supports a huge number of small farming communities.

Natural fiber- Jute is a completely natural fiber just like cotton thus making is biodegradable and compost friendly. Once they have reached their expiration date or cannot be used as a bag anymore, they are used at its final stages in the soil to enhance soil fertility. Because of this, jute has a very low environmental carbon footprint.

Environmentally friendly growing practices- Jute farmers rarely or never use chemicals and jute is normally grown in areas that it can grow naturally. Trees are rarely cut down to make way for jute farming and there is also little chemical load placed on the soil from jute growing.

UV Protective- If you are looking for a more UV protective option, then jute bags are your best bet. These bags are more UV protective than organic cotton which also makes it good for clothing production.

Insulation from heat- Apart from being UV protective, jute bags also offer a cost-effective and short-term solution for minimizing heat that are exposed to your goods. While they don’t match up to insulated cooler bags, these bags offer a short-term solution and is much favored by butchers and green grocers.

Softness- Jute bags are more sturdy because of its earthy texture which is certainly rougher than cotton bags but it does allow for a better hold.

Promotional- Because of its green credentials, its sturdiness and benefits of jute, it is a good promotional product for your company. Jute promotional bags work well for concept stores that have products that are earth friendly, or going for the reuse and recycle concept.

Wash-ability- Compared to cotton bags, jute bags are not always washable. These bags are produced with or without plastic lining so if it comes with plastic lining, it is easily wiped out.

Source by Amin Ramjee