This year we've seen a new material enter the catalogues of the various brands we represent and we were a little intrigued by the name. We're talking about JUCO, more specifically the juco bags that Kariban and other brands are currently launching.
Working with many different types of fabric (cotton, polyester, viscose, etc.), we found this new introduction strange and decided to explore a little to see if it was a material that could bring added value to our customers.
The results of our research were surprising and, given that it's a mixture of different fibres, we think it's important to start by introducing a few points before explaining exactly what juco is.
JUTE
Jute is a type of natural fibre that grows quickly and sustainably. Unlike cotton, jute cane only needs 4 to 6 months to grow fully.
Growing under similar conditions to organic cotton, it has a very high production turnover and no pesticides or fertilisers are used. Jute is also free from genetic modification, making it a truly sustainable product.
Jute has become better known and used in recent years due to the taxes on plastic bags that world governments are implementing.
As it is also traditionally used to make items such as ropes and other products, it is strong and resistant. It is therefore mostly used in the form of bags.
The downside is that it's a bit difficult to decorate, being limited to screen printing. Direct printing is not a viable option due to the "opening" of the wire, with the image losing a lot of detail during decoration.
Embroidery is also not ideal because the thread is too open and too thick for the needles and thread to do a good job.
COTTON
Cotton doesn't need presentations or careful descriptions. As the most widely used plant material in the world and present in our daily lives, it is very versatile, allowing for a wide range of textile decorations.
JUCO
We've finally arrived at juco, this new material that we've never heard of (and you probably haven't either). After some research, we were pleasantly surprised by the results we found.
Juco is nothing more than a mixture of jute (75 per cent) and cotton (25 per cent). The end result is an item (usually bags) that is sustainable from an ecological point of view (read again above that jute is produced organically) and has a soft enough weave to allow for comfort and some style. This material gives us the best of both worlds. On the one hand we have sustainability and on the other we have an item that can be easily customised with screen printing, direct printing and embroidery. We can also use vinyl printing without any difficulty.
We can also use vinyl printing without any difficulty. The first step was the bags and we're looking forward to what's next. Who knows, maybe we'll see decorated blouses made from juco in the next few years?
