How hessian and sacking are made
Hessian is a plain-woven jute cloth; sacking is a heavier, coarser jute cloth, woven plain or in twill, used for bags. Both come from composite jute mills that card, spin, weave and finish in one place. IBEF counts 89 of India's 120 composite jute mills in West Bengal and reports FY2025-26 hessian exports of US$112.46 million (IBEF jute page, updated October 2026). Within India, food-grain packaging in B.Twill jute bags is a large market, procured through the government's JUTE-SMART portal.
Before spinning, the fibre is softened with batching oil and water. Mineral batching oils are cheaper; vegetable oils are used for bags that will hold food. The yarn is woven on looms, and the cloth is calendered, cut and sewn into sacks with a hemmed mouth and side seams, or rolled and baled as cloth. Buyers describe the cloth by:
- Weight, often in ounces per yard at a stated width, such as a 40-inch hessian, or in grams per square metre.
- Construction, the number of warp and weft threads per inch, called porter and shots in the jute trade.
- Width, and for sacks the cut size, finished size, seam type and weight per bag.
Finished goods are pressed into bales of a fixed count or length, strapped, and marked for shipment.
What the limited inspection covers
| Check | How it is checked | What fails |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity | Bales counted; bags or metres per bale counted in opened bales | Short bales, short count per bale |
| Bale weight and marking | Bales weighed on a calibrated scale; marks read against the packing list | Underweight bales, marks missing or wrong |
| Cloth width and weight | Width measured on unrolled cloth; a measured length weighed and weight per area calculated | Narrow or light cloth against the order |
| Construction | Warp and weft threads counted per inch with a pick glass at several places | Counts below the specification, giving an open, weak cloth |
| Sack size, weight and seams | Sacks measured and weighed; mouth hem and side seams checked for stitch type and density | Small or light sacks, open or single seams where double was ordered |
| Visible faults | Cloth and sacks looked at against a light | Holes, broken ends, thick places, oil or grease stains, mends |
| Moisture and mould | Moisture meter at several points inside bales; folds checked | Readings above the agreed limit; mould spots or musty smell |
| Lab samples | Samples drawn across bales by an agreed plan, sealed in front of the supplier and dispatched to the lab | (Results come from the lab) |
We do not measure oil content, mineral oil hydrocarbons, tensile strength or seam strength. An ISO/IEC 17025-accredited lab you choose or we suggest does that; we check its report against the lot and seal numbers. See lab testing coordination.
Common findings and how they are classed
| Finding | Typical cause | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Mould in bales | Baled damp; wet storage | Critical |
| Food sacks smelling of mineral oil | Mineral batching oil used instead of the agreed vegetable oil | Critical for food use; shipment on Hold pending lab results |
| Weight per area or per sack below specification | Lighter cloth or fewer threads | Major |
| Thread counts below specification | Loom set for a cheaper construction | Major |
| Seams open or single where double was ordered | Sewing shortcuts | Major |
| Short bale count | Packing error | Major |
| Small holes, slubs or light oil spots | Weaving and handling | Minor within the agreed rate |
Food sacks and mineral oil
Jute sacks carry coffee, cocoa beans, nuts and grain. Mineral oil from batching, and lubricating oil from looms and handling, can pass from the sack into the food. Research on cocoa has traced mineral oil hydrocarbons in beans to contaminated jute bags. Food-trade buyers therefore usually specify sacks made with vegetable-based batching oil, often described as hydrocarbon-free, and ask for lab results on oil content or on mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOSH and MOAH).
Because the risk cannot be seen, the inspection focuses on what can be controlled at the mill: the batching oil declaration and purchase records, separation of food-grade production from other jute, absence of oil stains, odour against a reference sample, and samples sealed from the actual lot for the lab. Name the test method and limit in your contract. General food-contact law also applies to the sack as a material that touches food; see EU 1935/2004 and FDA food contact.
Packing, loading and your purchase order
Bales are hydraulically pressed and strapped with steel or plastic bands. Broken straps let bales spring open and pick up dirt and moisture. Jute takes up water from humid air, so bales left in an open yard in the monsoon gain weight and can mould on the voyage. Loaded containers should be dry and clean; food-grade sacks should not share a container with goods that smell or leak. Wooden pallets, if used, need ISPM 15 marks. Loading supervision checks count, bale condition and the container.
- Cloth: width, weight per area, construction (warp and weft per inch), finish.
- Sacks: cut and finished size, weight per sack, weave, seam and hem type, any printing.
- Batching oil type, and for food sacks the lab test and limit you require.
- Maximum moisture at baling and how it is measured.
- Bale count or length, bale weight, strapping and marking.
- Sampling plan for lab samples and who receives the sealed set.