A number of acetic acid (HAc) based pulping trials were carried out to determine the best conditions to produce a jute pulp with low residual lignin content and high physical properties. The extended delignification, with increasing temperature, strongly affected the strength properties. The highest tensile strength of 24 N m/g was found at 150 degrees C and 10 min, 300 ml CSF condition. However, increasing temperature to 200 degrees C dramatically reduces the strength in the acetic acid system especially for beyond 20 min cooks. The improvements of tensile strength (5-25%) with certain level of refining were observed. The highest tensile strength of 27 N m/g was found at 150 degrees C and 10 min pulping conditions which freeness of 100 ml CSF. The results found with Simons' stain procedure over acetic acid jute pulps were generally consistent with the strength properties of the pulps. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.