Abstract This study focuses on the experimental investigation of the mechanical properties and failure mechanisms of jute-polyester composite laminates under off-axis tensile loading. Various off-axis tests were conducted to analyze the effects of different fiber orientations (0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 75°, and 90°) with respect to the load direction. The experimental results revealed a decrease in both off-axis strength and elastic moduli as the off-axis angle increased. Notably, the 45° off-axis tests exhibited the lowest tensile strength and modulus, indicating a more ductile behavior with the highest failure strain. The tensile stress-strain relationship exhibited a nonlinear behavior during off-axis tension loading. Failure analysis was performed using the Tsai-Wu criteria, considering various values of the interaction coefficient F12. The tensile strength and modulus predicted by the Tsai-Wu criteria demonstrated a good correlation with the experimental results. Consequently, the Tsai-Wu criterion proves effective for analyzing the failure properties of woven fabric composites under multiaxial stress conditions.