About the Project

The Bengal Jute Alliance aims to facilitate West Bengal jute producers’ adoption of sustainable practices through a multi-faceted approach, spanning a white paper, research, prototyping, interviews, a product line, and partnership drives.

We plan to collaborate with Yajur Bast Fibres Limited’s Research & Development team to develop a white paper on the bast fibre manufacturing sector’s technological, environmental, and market gaps. In doing so, we seek to better understand the opportunities for establishing circular economies revolving around novel, sustainable, and bast fibre-based products. The insights gleaned would fuel the laboratory testing and prototyping of new sustainable products, set to be marketed through Yajur Bast Fibres Limited’s existing channels.

Further, we plan to platform traditional craftspeople through an interview series where we dive into the specific barriers they face in adopting sustainable practices. Through the series, we would not only be able to provide a realistic portrayal of the jute industry but also identify the potential of a sustainable version of India’s jute handicraft sector.

Additionally, we aim to up-cycle discarded jute materials by collaborating with local artisans in West Bengal to create a product line of reusable tote bags and multi-purpose storage baskets. Aside from establishing the line with circular economies and sustainability as guiding principles, we would also develop a specific brand identity for the products—via packaging materials, logo design, and a marketing strategy centered around sustainable production and waste reduction.