Hemp's Fabric Contribution to Sustainable Future of Fashion
Hemp is becoming more and more popular globally.
It is a cannabis plant with a variety of non-narcotic properties. While it still carries the burden of its psychoactive sibling (and is therefore frowned upon by some legislators), hemp is becoming a more normalized and industrialized crop, which can be used for many purposes, from the provision of easily cultivated food to biofuel.
Due to its remarkably strong, but flexible, fibers, hemp prominence is also growing in the fashion industry. In the past, it has been used in more industrial ways, for ropes, sails, and transportation bags, but thanks to technology, hemp can be softened and take dyes very well, which makes it a versatile fiber for commercial textiles.
Here are some sustainable benefits of the humble hemp that most interest us:
Hemp is fast-growing and easy to cultivate. According to the National Hemp Association (NHA), on top of being fully biodegradable, hemp requires three times less water than cotton. At the same time, it yields more than two times more fiber than cotton. It does not need herbicides, fungicides or pesticides, and requires little fertilizer. What’s more, it can be grown on the same land for 14 years without depleting the soil. To give you a comparison, cotton uses 50% of all pesticides used in the US, damages soil, and requires a lot of fertilizer. Choosing hemp over cotton garments truly lessens your impact on mother earth. A true miracle crop!
Hemp makes a quality cloth. As we already mentioned, hemp fiber is remarkably long, flexible, durable, and mixes well with virtually any fiber. Hemp fibers are 8 times more stretchy and 4 times more durable than cotton. When mixed with cotton, hemp produces a soft and elastic textile, while when mixed with silk, it provides some structural drape to smooth and silky fabric.
Hemp is good for your skin. Hemp fibers are absorbent, resistant to bacterial or fungal growth, and provide natural insulation. So, it keeps you warm when it’s cold and cool when it’s hot. It is also effective in protecting your skin from UV damage.
At SCRAP we love hemp and we are looking forward to seeing its prominence grow as we see great potential for this simple plant.
