It's unlikely you'll get rid of the smell and if you wash it, it may fray & break down too much. I have washed it(machine) with not the best results to get rid of the smell-it shrunk and wouldn't lay very flat in addition to losing much of it to fraying.
Perhaps gentle handwashing with an essential oil in the rinse water would help retain fabric integrity & help with the smell.

I've worked with burlap both indoors & out and find that the smell fades(a little)if the fabric is left alone & not manipulated too much. I should point out that even after washing it, it still retained the smell, although less powerful.

Sooo, maybe once your tree skirt is made and laid out, you'll notice the smell a little less. Hope this helps!

I just went through this!

I ordered pillows from Etsy that had a burlap back. The smell was terribly strong -- they were in the laundry room and you could smell them upstairs! And it was chemical-ly.

I left them outside on the line a few days.

I covered them in baking soda.

I washed them, Twice. Once with vinegar.

They still smelled. ANd they shrunk a bit.. And frayed.

I contacted the seller and she agreed to put cotton backs on. I kept meaning to ship them to her. It took me maybe a month to get around to it. BY then it hardly smelled!

So..... i think only time can help. I have burlap under my tree and i do like it, but ive had it a few years - no smell anymore

Burlap wreaths are quite popular now if you are crafty.

Here is a link that might be useful: Burlap Wreaths

Tuesday - I made one of those ruffled looking burlap wreaths.

I have several burlap items. It is not a good idea to try to wash burlap. The wreath I made is made with the burlap "ribbon" and it still has a smell, but it hangs outside (or did for fall). I have a burlap pillow, table runner, bedskirt and panels that no longer smell. It only took a few days for the smell to disappear, or at least to the point where I don't smell it when entering the room. The bedskirt and panels are from Ballards.

tina

Maybe place a basket of scented pinecones under the tree. The strong scent from the pinecones should be stronger than the burlap smell.

This blog post indicates you can was it in your washer on the delicate cycle. If you have a large amount, I think this would work ok.

Here is a link that might be useful: washing burlap

I made a burlap wreath 15 years ago. Hang it over my mantel every year. No smell in the room or store room when I pull it out..but when I hang it I do notice its odor. Time takes care of it. I made pillows while in High School--1976 that had burlap faces. My nose ran like a sun of a gun while making them. Give it time.

bac, I wonder if Osnaburg would give you a similar look?

It's softer, can be tea or coffee dyed, and doesn't smell. It's much easier to work with, too. It may not be the texture you want, but personally, I'd put the effort into sewing with that, rather than burlap. I've linked a blog below which mentions it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Osnaburg fabric...the poor man's linen

I've been making and selling lots of wreaths and bows...and sewing curtains for my house out of burlap over the last few months. I agree, the odor is strong and not very pleasant. If you can stand it for a while, it does get better. My curtains, that I made in March, don't send out that stink anymore. I know that it's not because I've gotten used to them as I have tons of burlap in my sewing room that smells strong. It just takes time for that odor to fade.

Would NOT recommend washing at home unless you purchased it with home washing instructions. I don't think dry cleaning will help it smell any less.

FYI, you can purchase treated burlap that supposedly does not have the odor. I've never tried it so I can't say if it's truly unscented.

I love burlap! At Christmas I use it only outside. Those items are in use on a limited basis and don't have time to lose the smell. Inside, though, I have burlap curtains as a shower curtain for a garden tub that do not smell at all as they've lbeen in place three years at least and have finally finished out gassing.

I bought the burlap ribbon (trimmed in red) from Ballard D. that I use here and there in my decorating, mostly on the tree. After 2 years it still has an odor but I live with it since it's so pretty. I saw that burlap and plaid tree skirt too, and even though it's lovely, I couldn't stand any more smell.

All burlap is not equal as others have found. I have 2 runners I made of burlap left-over from another craft project. It was years since I bought it so it might have aired out further altho I don't remember it ever having an undesirable scent. This 'decorator burlap' also seems to be stiffer and finer weave than the burlap coffee bags I bought more recently. They are coarse and smelled of both burlap and coffee beans. I washed them on gentle in the machine, dried them flat, and the smell greatly diminished so it's not objectionable.

I expect the burlap that has a chemical scent has been treated with insect repellent which is common with products shipped from tropical or 3rd world countries. I used to have a store and products made in China often had such an odor. I always washed my hands well after unpacking them and advised my staff to do so also.

Here's an update on the progress on the burlap tree skirt. After simply letting the piece of burlap I purchased air out (outside during the day and in the garage overnight for a total of 3 days), most of the smell was gone. Since I was anxious to complete this project, I decided to just go ahead and start sewing. I spent about 4 hours this evening cutting the burlap and the muslin I'm using for the lining and serging them together and cutting the bias strips of the plaid I'm using for the edge and assembling everything. I'm almost done, but it's 11 PM here, so I will finish it tomorrow evening and post pictures.

Thanks to everyone who responded with advice on getting rid of the smell in the burlap.