Can Hemp Fabric be the Textile of the Future?

Can Hemp be the Textile of the Future?

The fashion Industry is the world’s second-largest polluter.

We’ve become more aware of the pollution-causing effects of automobiles, heavy industries, and single-use plastic, among other things. Meanwhile, fashion has acted as a silent perpetrator. Clothing purchases doubled globally in 2014 compared to 2000 and remained halved. As a result, discarded clothing that ends up in landfills increases yearly.

However, nature has provided a viable solution, and fashion brands have begun recognising it. But, of course, we’re talking about hemp textiles made from hemp plant fibres. Hemp fabrics are biodegradable, just like pure cotton, but they have several advantages over cotton.

Fashion companies are becoming more conscious of the industry’s massive environmental impact. As a result, more and more brands are becoming interested in using hemp textile to create fashionable clothing in various styles ranging from undergarments to fashion wear for different temperature zones.

Benefits of Hemp Fabric

The Benefits Of Wearing Hemp Clothing

Hemp Fabric has a lot of benefits both for the producers as well as consumers. Read on to know more about Why Wear Hemp?

Durability

Hemp is the most durable and organic solid fibres available today, making it an excellent choice for outerwear. Hemp clothing is said to have three times the tensile strength of cotton clothing. In addition, it easily blends with other fibres to create a hemp-hybrid material, retaining the strength of hemp fibres while adding the comfort of softer, more refined fabrics.

It produces excellent clothing and footwear, as well as industrial textiles, paper, bioplastics, insulation, biofuel, strong cordage, and cables.

Environmental Friendly

Is Hemp Fabric Eco-Friendly? Hemp has been farmed since the dawn of agriculture, making it an excellent choice for those looking for long-lasting clothing. Furthermore, hemp cultivation for fabric production has a relatively low environmental impact. This makes it ideal for those interested in living a green lifestyle.

Sustainability

Hemp can be grown in most parts of the world but prefers temperate or tropical climates. As a result, it overgrows and can be harvested three times per year. This makes it inexpensive, quick to cultivate, and simple to maintain.

Other fibres are less sustainable and regenerative agricultural crops compared to hemp. Almost everything made from cotton can also be made from hemp. In contrast to cotton, which requires a lot of water, chemical fertilisers, and pesticides, hemp grows cleanly and quickly and is resistant to pests. Hemp is a densely populated plant that chokes out its competitors. As a result, herbicide use is generally unnecessary. Because hemp is a natural pest repellent, pesticides are rarely needed. It is a gentle crop, returning 60 to 90% of the nutrients taken from the soil. It also prevents topsoil erosion and requires only a tiny amount of land to cultivate. It can also produce twice as much fibre per hectare as cotton.

Fewer Pesticides

One of the most significant advantages of hemp is that it does not require pesticides, herbicides, or insecticides to grow. These chemicals cause harm to the environment, as well as the people and animals who live nearby. This distinguishes it from cotton, which requires a large amount of these chemicals during farming.

Better for the Soil

Hemp also has a deep root system, enabling continuous soil improvement. The entire crop is valuable. While the stalk is used for fibre, hurds and leaves can be used as fertiliser by ploughing into the soil. This improves soil fertility and promotes growth of future hemp fabric crops.

Reduced Waste

We can also see more of hemp’s eco-friendliness during production. Because the entire plant is valuable, no industrial waste byproducts are produced. Instead, manufacturers use the stalks to make textile fibres and the woody parts to make products such as animal bedding.

Safe for Manufacturers (No Toxins)

Organisations cannot be sustainable unless they protect their employees’ health and safety. Simply put, bamboo viscose is terrible for the people who make it. This is due to the toxic nature of the various chemicals used to produce viscose, which endangers the workers who process bamboo. In addition, viscose production has several adverse side effects, including cardiovascular damage, nervous system damage, and chemical burns.

The Benefits Of Wearing Hemp Clothing

Why is Hemp Fiber the Future of Clothing

Hemp, in comparison with other fibres has some advantages of its own, and these are

Linen

When worn, hemp and linen fabrics are breathable and light. However, hemp fabric is more durable than linen due to its long fibres. As a result, farmers require less land to produce hemp. In addition, hemp has an environmental advantage because it does not require pesticides to grow and is beneficial to the soil.

In comparison to linen, hemp requires very little upkeep. Linen garments need several washes after their initial manufacture to transition from a coarse to a gradually softer feel. Hemp softens after the first wash and gets softer with each subsequent wash.

The main advantage of hemp over linen is how it is grown. Hemp grows extremely quickly and is naturally resistant to a wide range of pests, allowing it to be grown successfully without using herbicides or pesticides. Flax does not compete well with weeds, so herbicides are used in some cases.

Bamboo

While both require significantly less water than cotton, hemp requires even less than bamboo. Even though both plants improve soil, growing hemp has a significant advantage over growing bamboo.

Hemp is one of the most effective plants for removing harmful environmental toxins. It can grow in contaminated soil without harming its health, making it a super plant. In addition, the processes for acquiring and manufacturing hemp fabric are more environmentally friendly than those for bamboo fabric.

Cotton

Cotton production is inefficient and wasteful. It is mass-produced in subtropical countries worldwide, with disastrous social and environmental consequences. Cotton has a significant impact on soil fertility and biodiversity. In addition, it endangers land wildlife and marine life by requiring the use of toxic pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides.

When the sustainability of the fabrics is compared, hemp is significantly more sustainable. Hemp cultivation requires less water and no synthetic fertilisers or pesticides. Cotton needs more nutrients. Hemp is more durable than cotton in terms of durability.

Hemp Used in Textiles

Conclusion

The utility of hemp fabric in the textile and fashion industries cannot be overstated. We discussed the benefits and sustainability of hemp fabric in this article. We also highlighted a comparison of hemp and other materials. Some brands combine the fibre with other materials, which can reduce sustainability.