Erosion control products fall into three families: jute, coir and synthetic. Each is the right answer somewhere. The difference comes down to one question: how long does the ground need help before plants can hold it on their own?
Why coir lasts longer than jute
Both are plant fibres, but they are built differently. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, brown coir contains about 33% lignin and 36% cellulose, while jute contains about 13% lignin and 72% cellulose. Lignin is the tough, woody part of a plant that microbes struggle to break down; cellulose is what they digest first. The FAO also notes that coir’s resistance to microbial degradation and salt water is unique among natural fibres.
That chemistry shows up in the field. California’s transport department rates jute mesh at about 12 months of functional life and coir netting at about three years.
Side by side
| Jute | Coir | Synthetic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical functional life | About 1 year | About 3 years on the surface; longer in soil | Designed to be permanent |
| Lignin content | About 13% | About 33% | Not applicable |
| Breaks down into soil | Yes | Yes, more slowly | No |
| Wildlife entanglement risk | Low | Low | Documented for plastic netting |
| Best suited to | Short-term cover on gentle slopes | Slopes, banks and water edges where plants need several seasons | Sites needing permanent reinforcement beyond what plants can give |
The hidden cost of plastic netting
Many erosion control products use plastic netting to hold their fibres together. A California Coastal Commission factsheet reports that plastic netting has been found to entangle reptiles, amphibians, birds and small mammals, with snakes of particular concern. It also notes that photodegradable plastic netting has been found intact on sites up to eight years after installation, well beyond its intended life.
The same factsheet recommends netting made from 100% biodegradable materials such as jute, sisal or coir, with a loose weave and movable joints. It also warns that some products labelled “jute” are in fact plastic, so it pays to check what you are buying.
Where each one fits
- Jute suits quick, short-term cover: gentle slopes, fast-growing seed mixes and sites where vegetation will take hold within a season. Caltrans limits jute mesh to slopes of 2:1 or gentler.
- Coir suits sites where plants need more than one growing season, along with steeper slopes, flowing water and salt or brackish conditions.
- Synthetic reinforcement mats suit places where forces will stay too high for vegetation alone. Expect them to remain in the ground permanently.
Coir is not the cheapest option per square metre, and it is not permanent by design. Its value is in lasting long enough for roots to do the permanent work, then returning to the soil.
Not sure which you need? Ask for a recommendation. We will tell you honestly if coir is not the right answer.