Burlap (chiefly US) or (more commonly elsewhere)[1]Hessian cloth, is a coarse woven fabric usually made from jute and allied vegetable fibers.
The name 'burlap' appears to be of unknown origin[2]. The name 'hessian' is attributed to the use of the fabric, initially, as part of the uniform of soldiers from the German state of Hessen.[3]
Uses
Burlap/Hessian is often used to make sacks and bags to ship goods like coffee beans. It is breathable and thus resists condensation and associated spoilage of the contents. It is also durable enough to withstand rough handling in transit; these properties have also led to its use for temporary protection of setting cement and concrete by the construction industry.
Due to its coarse texture, it is not commonly used in modern apparel. However this roughness gave it a use in a religious context, for self-mortification, where individuals may wear an abrasive shirt called a cilice or 'hairshirt' and the wearing of 'sackcloth' on Ash Wednesday and owing to its durability, naturally non-shiny refraction and fuzzy texture, Ghillie suits are often made of burlap. It was also a popular material for camoflage scrim on combat helmets of World War Two. Until the advent of the plastic "leafy" multi-color net system following the Vietnam War, burlap scrim was also woven onto shrimp and fish netting to create large military camoflage netting.
As Hessian, it has been used by fine artists as an alternative to canvas as a stretched painting surface.
