Dubbed the "golden fibre", jute is long, soft and shiny, with a length of 1 to 4 m and a diameter of from 17 to 20 microns. It is one of nature's strongest vegetable fibres and ranks second only to cotton in terms of production quantity. Jute has high insulating and anti-static properties, moderate moisture regains and low thermal conductivity. The strong threads made from jute fibre are used worldwide in sackcloth - and help sustain the livelihoods of millions of small farmers.