Lesley York

Hemp Social Expert

Who would have thought that hemp fabric of all things could be vital for creating a sustainable and comfortable world? If you were given an option to buy shirt that is environmentally friendly, cheaper, and lasts for a long period in comparison to shirts made of other fabrics, wouldn’t you choose the environmentally friendly option.

And in case you are thinking that it’s impossible, think again. Hemp clothing indeed exists, plus it provides all the benefits mentioned above.

Why Is Hemp Fabric A Preferable Option?

Besides the benefits mentioned above, hemp has tons of other advantages. First of all, it feels extraordinarily soft on skin and continues to grow softer after every wear. Products made from hemp fabric are also resistant to bacteria naturally; they also provide protection from Ultra Violet rays. Because of the UV protection, hemp fabric not only shields your skin, but also retains the fabric’s color for an extended period.

Suffice to say, hemp fabric is as practical as it gets. Upon using it, you will also notice that it doesn’t stink up as quickly compared to other fabric types. Despite being so practical clothes made from hemp fabric are also stylish. You may find it surprising that hemp fashion is actually real.  There are a few companies that specifically produce clothing by using hemp fabric. That being said, style is not hemp’s greatest upside. The fabric’s positive environmental impact and production methods are perhaps a couple of its greatest advantages.

Hemp Fabric Production

The process involved in producing clothes that we wear every day is not something most of us think pay too much attention to. We do not realize that a simple t shirt made from cotton cannot be created without a complicated system of supply chain. Cotton shirts are not the only ones to go through tedious process, the same goes for any other fabric type, which also includes hemp.

For those who are wondering what happen in the production of hemp fabric, it is important to know that the process is quite labor intensive. The modern hemp fabric production methods share some similarities with traditional methods but with more efficiency through the use of some helpful modern equipment. Nevertheless, the entire core principles are still there, which are: growing the hemp, breaking it down, picking the fibers apart (separating them), followed by spinning the fabric into textile.

Comparing Hemp Fabric to Other Types of Natural Fabrics

You might be wondering that there are other natural fabric types as well and how do they compare to hemp. Well, let us take a closer look and compare them.

Wool

Processing wool is quite simple. It does not require a plethora of steps to become a final product. Companies generally harvest it and process it through combining and carding, which are techniques for refining and smoothing the wool. Once the smoothing is complete, the wool is knit or woven to fabric. Despite being simpler to process, there is a lot of carbon footprint that cattle farming leaves behind. In addition to the use of water and energy for processing wool, you also have to clean, maintain, and feed the sheep. Compared to a plant such as hemp, sheep need larger resources for surviving.

Cotton

Similar to hemp, cotton also grows in fields and harvested later on. After that, just like hemp, the cotton goes through a process known as ginning. This is where workers separate the fibers and seeds. Cotton fiber goes through several processes to for refining them further. As soon as the cotton gets ready, the labors or machines spin it into fabric.

Superior in Every Way

Although hemp is processed and harvested just like many other fabric types, the hemp plant is the main advantage the hemp fabric has. The plant requires just five percent of the water required for growing cotton. Moreover, the water could be rain fed as well. The deep reaching roots of hemp preserve the subsoil and topsoil. The plant grows densely, making sure that it does not leave any room for competing plants such as weeds. In addition it is not in jeopardy of insects as much as other plants, which also means that the plant does not require pesticides.

Finally, hemp grows very quickly; it does not need more than 4 months to get ready for harvesting. Suffice to say, hemp fabric is the clear winner.  Keeping the fabric aside for a moment, hemp seeds and leaves are also handy for making hemp fuel and hemp oil, which are quite beneficial as well. From environmental sustainability to practical uses, this super plant is superior to all of its competitors.