Let’s talk about the endless possibilities of hemp!
Did you know that hemp could be transformed into a variety of textiles, such as hemp linen, hemp fleece, hemp muslin and hemp silk? The greatest thing about hemp is that it’s one of the most versatile natural fibers. The cellulose fiber from hemp is used to make products ranging from paper, skin care products, building materials and apparel.
So what makes hemp so ecofriendly?
For starters, it requires no pesticides and needs little water, yet it renews the soil with each growth cycle. Due to these minimal growth requirements, it is much less expensive to farm. Hemp is a favorable fiber in apparel, because clothing made of hemp fiber is lightweight and extremely absorbent. Hemp fibers are also known to be longer, stronger, and even more absorbent than cotton. Fabrics made of at least one-half hemp block the sun's UV rays more effectively than other fabrics. Pretty cool, huh?
The use of hemp for textile materials is not a new trend by the way. Up until the early 1800s, all schoolbooks were made from either hemp or wax paper. In America, it was even legal to pay your taxes with hemp. If this were the case today, there would probably be hemp farms everywhere!
One thing’s for sure, it’s great to see the use hemp and its countless benefits on the rise!
By Kyeela Swan
