What is it about Industrial Hemp that makes advocates tout it as a miracle plant? We are craftspeople, not farmers or scientists so we can only tell you what we like about it and direct you to some web sites where you can learn more about the historic and scientific details of the fibers as well as current legislation regarding it’s production.
Industrial Hemp has been our fabric of choice for just under a decade. In the course of using it we have come to love the bags and clothes it sews up. Depending on the weave and other factors it can have different properties. We buy our hemp as griege goods -meaning untreated, undyed. The way this fiber takes the dyes is far superior to cotton. The colors are strong and vibrant. It is a pleasure to stir new colors into the fabric.
Historically, because of the presence of gummy ligins in the plant, the fiber was very stiff and rigid. It was used for rope, sails (the word canvas is from cannabis), paper (the Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper). A major step forward in the use of Industrial Hemp as a textile came in the 1980’s when a enzymatic process was developed that made hemp usable in apparel. Cotton and flax industries had both developed methods to remove the ligin that kept the fiber stiff, but the methods didn’t work for hemp. With the development of a softening method for hemp the doors open to the use of hemp in apparel where a softer hand is required.
Textile scientists tell us that because hemp is more porous than other fibers it “breathes” and keeps us warmer in the cool air and cooler in the warm air.
The fabric is a good addition to the natural fabrics already on the market. It has quite a few benefits over cotton and with time we hope to see more and more of it available to the consumer.
What Good is a Weed?
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Industrial Hemp, Cannabis Sativa is a fast growing weed. This simple fact gives it a host of ecological advantages. It is a great choice for those concerned about the environment. -
Hemp produces 250 times the amount of fiber as cotton on the same acreage. -
50% of all the world’s pesticides are used on cotton. -
Hemp is naturally pest resistant. Healthy crops require little or no pesticide use. -
Hemp has very long tap roots and leaves the soil aerated. The roots also help prevent soil erosion. -
Hemp fibers are longer, stronger and more mildew resistant than cotton. They absorb dye with an unsurpassed richness. Fibers made of at least 1/2 hemp block the sun’s UV rays more effectively than other fabrics. -
As a Bio-Mass fuel (energy source) fast growth means hemp can produce 10 tons of Bio-Mass per acre in its four month growing period. Each pound of Bio-mass represents 5000-8000 BTU’s of energy. -
If 6% of the continental US was planted with industrial hemp it could provide for 100% of our current oil and gas needs.
You may also find these links of interest.
