Hessian Rug Fabric - Woven Burlap Jute

A heavy-duty woven hessian that is ideal for hand-made rugs. Hessian (also known as burlap in the US) is an eco-friendly woven fabric made from natural fibres extracted from the bark of the jute vegetable plant. It is sustainable, environmentally friendly and biodegradable. Jute fabrics have been used in rug and bag making for centuries and jute is a traditional fibre used in tufted carpet backings.

Our Hessian is a refined and dense woven fabric, making it a fantastic material for handmade rugs, bags, wall hangings and many other art and craft applications.

Perfect for rag rugging, which is also known by a variety of other names depending on where you hail from across the UK - hooky, proddy, stobby, pricked, clippy mats, proggy, clootie, poked, tab, broddy, bodged, stobby, cleekie, shaggy or loopy rugs!

You can also use this Hessian as a secondary backing for your rugs, useful for hiding and protecting the back of your work, adding strength and stability to your piece and providing an extra layer of cushioning to make the rug softer and more comfortable to walk on.

This hessian can also be utilised as a primary foundation fabric for rug tufting. It is an affordable and eco-friendly option for crafters who are looking to have fun and experiment with their tufting machine. Although our hessian is actually heavier per square metre than our premium grey tufting fabric, we only recommend trying this fabric if you are an experienced tufter, this is because it is challenging to work with. You’ll need to adapt your tufting techniques to minimise rips, for example modifying your speed, applying small bursts of power, avoiding non-linear movements and regularly restretching the fabric on the frame. If you are a beginner, we highly recommend that you start your tufting journey with a fabric that is specifically designed for rug tufting, we promise you will have a much better time!