Question

Which one of the following is known as the golden fibre?
A. Cotton
B. Jute
C. Hemp
D. Silk

Answer 1

Hint: The golden fibre is a natural vegetable fibre which is produced from the plants of genus Corchorus, an annual crop which takes 120 days to grow.

Complete Answer: Jute is known as the golden fibre because of its colour and high cash value. The plant or fibre which is used for making burlap, gunny cloth or hessian is known as “jute”. Jute in India is considered to be one of the most affordable natural fibres and comes second only to cotton. The fibres are extracted through the process of retting. The process of retting is done by bundling jute stems together and then immersing them into slow running water. After this process, stripping begins, in which non-fibrous contents are scraped off, and then the workers grab the fibres from within the jute stem.

Now let us examine the options
Option A - Cotton ranks first in the list of most affordable natural fibres and is grown with seeds of cotton plants. It is white in colour and has a soft texture.
Option B - Jute is known as the golden fibre because of its golden colour and silky shine texture.
Option C - Hemp is a cannabis plant which usually grows along with bamboo. It is not a natural fibre and is mostly grown for industrial uses.
Option D - Silk is a natural fibre and is mainly composed of fibroin. It is made from the silkworm cocoon.

Thus, the correct answer is option (B).

Note: The first golden fibre mill was established in India, named the Acland Mill. It was established by a British entrepreneur George Acland along with Babu Bysumber Sen, a Bengali in 1855 in Rishra West Bengal.