What Is Burlap? Burlap Sack Meaning & Uses

September 21, 2026
Posted by: wellcoindustries
Categories: Burlap, Erosion Control

Burlap is a coarse woven fabric traditionally made from jute fibers. In North American English, it is commonly called burlap; in British English, the corresponding everyday term is hessian.[5][6] A burlap sack is a bag made from this fabric.

The short answer is: jute is the fiber, burlap or hessian describes the woven fabric, and a burlap sack is a finished container made from that fabric. Those names do not provide a complete product specification. The base-fabric composition, weave, fabric weight, finish, seams, closures, liner and dimensions may need to be identified separately.

What Is Burlap Made Of?

Burlap commonly refers to a coarse woven fabric traditionally made from jute fibers. Jute is a plant-derived bast fiber taken from the stem. The fiber is processed into yarn and woven into products such as hessian cloth, sacking, carpet backing and other fabrics. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations identifies hessian cloth and sacks among the traditional products made from jute.[1]

That industry definition does not mean every product sold under the word burlap has the same construction. Check it at three separate levels:

Base-fabric composition: whether the woven fabric is jute or a blend, and what fiber declaration applies.
Fabric processing: whether the base fabric is dyed, finished, treated, coated or laminated.
Finished-sack construction: the materials used for sewing thread, seams, closures, labels and any separate liner.

A dyed or treated fabric may still have 100% jute fiber content in its base fabric; that does not establish the composition of the entire finished sack. Product form is another separate question: ordinary woven fabric, finished sacks and open-grid netting have different constructions and uses.

For these reasons, do not use the word burlap alone to infer fiber content, food-contact suitability, weather resistance, treatment or expected service life.

Burlap, Jute, Hessian and Sacking: What Is the Difference?

These terms are related, but they do not always describe the same thing.

Term	What it usually describes	What still needs confirmation
Jute	The plant fiber used to make many traditional burlap products	Fiber grade, blend and processing
Burlap	A coarse woven fabric term commonly used in North America	Composition, weight, weave, treatment and dimensions
Hessian	The British everyday term for the fabric commonly called burlap in North America	Composition, weight, weave, finish and intended use
Sacking	Heavier cloth used to make sacks or bags	Weight, seam, closure, load requirement and liner
Gunny sack	A traditional name for a coarse jute or similar natural-fiber sack	Actual material and construction of the item

FAO material on jute distinguishes hessian cloth, sacks and other jute products.[1] Separate FAO background material notes that jute also enters laminated or mixed constructions, but that does not establish the construction of any particular sack.[2] The practical rule is simple: treat the product name as a starting point, then verify the specification.

What Are Burlap Sacks Used For?

Traditional jute sacking has been used to contain or transport agricultural and industrial commodities. Depending on the product construction and applicable requirements, burlap sacks may be considered for:

dry agricultural commodities;
nursery, landscape or garden materials;
sand, soil or other fill in temporary applications;
storage and handling where an open woven construction is acceptable;
crafts, displays, events and decorative packaging; and
reusable covers or containers where the specific sack is suitable.

These are industry use categories, not a statement that one sack is suitable for every item in the list. The contents, load, moisture exposure, handling method and any regulatory or hygiene requirements determine whether a particular sack is appropriate.

Food and produce require a separate suitability check

Breathability does not by itself make a sack suitable for food or fresh produce. The FAO guide cited here advises avoiding sacks for fresh produce where practical because they provide limited protection. It also identifies risks such as moisture absorption, contamination by fibers, biodeterioration, insect harborage and odor retention for jute sacks.[3]

Food-contact suitability, hygiene and protection against handling damage are separate selection questions. If a sack will contact food, seed, feed or another regulated material, confirm the product’s intended use, cleanliness, treatment, liner and applicable compliance documentation. Do not assume an ordinary burlap sack is food-grade because similar sacks have historically been used for agricultural commodities.

Are Burlap Sacks Breathable or Waterproof?

An unlined woven jute sack is generally breathable because air can move through the fabric openings. That same construction does not create a waterproof barrier. Water resistance can change if a product has a tighter weave, coating, treatment or liner.

This tradeoff matters during selection:

An open weave may allow ventilation but provide little protection from rain, liquid or fine particles.
A liner may improve containment or moisture resistance but change airflow and disposal considerations.
Treatments may change odor, handling, weathering or suitability for contact with plants or stored goods.
Wetting, repeated handling and storage conditions can affect seams and fabric performance.

Confirm the full construction instead of relying on a general claim that burlap is either breathable or water-resistant.

How Are Burlap Sack Sizes Specified?

Burlap sack dimensions are normally stated as width by length or width by height. A size label alone is not enough to determine usable capacity. Two sacks with the same flat dimensions can behave differently because of the fabric, seam, gusset, closure and intended fill.

Before selecting a sack, record:

Measurement method: state whether the dimensions are external flat measurements, usable internal dimensions or dimensions that include a gusset.
Flat dimensions: width and length or height, including the unit of measure.
Usable opening: the opening needed for manual or mechanical filling.
Fabric specification: fiber composition, weave and nominal weight, including whether the weight is stated per unit area, per unit length or for the finished sack.
Construction: flat or gusseted form, seam type and closure method.
Liner or treatment: whether the application requires or prohibits one.
Contents and target fill: the material, particle size and desired filled weight. Treat the target fill as a requirement to verify, not as a load rating established by the size label.
Handling and documentation: lifting, stacking, transport, outdoor exposure, expected reuse and any food-contact, project, customer or regulatory requirements.

There is no single standard burlap sack size that fits every use. Avoid choosing only from a generic “small, medium or large” label. The required dimensions and construction should follow the contents and handling process.

Burlap Sack vs. Burlap Fabric Roll

A finished sack and a fabric roll are different purchasing forms.

A burlap sack is a sewn container with defined dimensions, seams and an opening or closure.
A burlap fabric roll is continuous woven material that can be cut or secured for plant protection, gardening, landscaping and other suitable applications.
Jute netting or mesh is an open-grid material with a construction and installation method different from ordinary woven burlap.

If the requirement is a continuous fabric rather than a finished bag, review our burlap fabric roll options. If the project calls for an open-grid material, see our burlap and jute netting page instead. These product forms should not be treated as interchangeable.

Environmental Claims Need Product-Level Evidence

Jute is a natural plant fiber, and industry sources discuss biodegradability as one of its characteristics.[1] A finished burlap sack, however, may include blends, treatments, dyes, thread, coatings or liners. Disposal conditions also affect what happens after use.

For U.S. environmental marketing claims, the Federal Trade Commission’s Green Guides distinguish degradability, compostability and other environmental claims. Each claim needs evidence appropriate to its meaning and scope.[4] Therefore, a seller should not automatically describe every burlap sack as 100% biodegradable, plastic-free or environmentally preferable without evidence for the entire finished product and the stated disposal scenario.

A Short Product Check Before Selection

Before relying on a product title, confirm three things:

Product form: finished sack, continuous fabric roll or open-grid netting.
Material and construction: base-fabric composition, weave, finish, seams, closure and liner.
Use conditions: contents, target fill, handling, moisture exposure and required documentation.

The detailed sizing fields in the previous section provide the working specification. When those fields are missing, request confirmation rather than treating a general product title as complete.

FAQ

What does “burlap sack” mean?

A burlap sack is a bag made from coarse woven burlap fabric. Traditional burlap is commonly associated with jute fiber, but the finished sack’s composition, weave, treatment, liner and dimensions should be confirmed for the specific item.

Is burlap the same as jute?

No. Jute is a plant fiber. Burlap is a woven fabric traditionally made from jute. A burlap sack is a finished bag made from that fabric. Market terminology varies, so a product specification is more reliable than the name alone.

Is hessian the same as burlap?

Yes. In everyday textile usage, hessian is the British term for the fabric commonly called burlap in North America.[5][6] The names alone do not specify fiber composition, weave, weight, finish or finished-sack construction. Technical and trade specifications may also distinguish hessian cloth from heavier sacking.

Are all burlap sacks made from 100% jute?

Not necessarily. Check the fiber composition of the base fabric separately from finishes, sewing thread, closures and any liner. A dyed or treated fabric can still have 100% jute fiber content; that does not establish the composition of the entire finished sack.

Can a burlap sack hold food or fresh produce?

Only when the specific product and its documentation support that use. Ordinary burlap is not automatically food-contact compliant, and sacks may provide limited protection against moisture, contamination or physical damage. Confirm all applicable requirements before use.

Are burlap sacks waterproof?

Ordinary unlined burlap is not a waterproof barrier. A coating or liner may change moisture resistance, but it also changes the product construction and should be identified in the specification.

What size burlap sack do I need?

Choose dimensions from the contents, target fill, filling method, seam and closure, handling and storage conditions. Flat width and height alone do not define usable capacity.

Need Burlap Fabric Rolls for a Project?

For plant-protection, gardening, landscaping or selected erosion-control projects that require continuous burlap fabric, send us the intended application, roll width and length or coverage area, fabric requirements, quantity, packaging needs and delivery location. We can review the burlap fabric roll requirement. Finished-sack sourcing is outside the product scope described on this page.

Email: [email protected]

What Is Burlap? Burlap Sack Meaning, Material and Uses