Friday, 8 July 2011

RESOURCES | We're Eco - BUT NO HEMP ALLOWED!

Hemp's developed a pretty bad rep over the last decade or so within the fashion scene - "No Hemp Allowed" scrawled all over the front page of eco-fashion business plans. But is it really still as bad as they think?

Hemp is said to be the most eco-fibre of all. The cellulose fibre from hemp is used to make not just clothing products, including jeans, shirts, dresses, hats, bags, ropes and canvas, but also skin care products, building materials, paper and many food products!

Hemp grows almost anywhere. The plant is particularly harvested all throughout Europe, Russia, China and Canada. It requires no pesticides or fertiliser and needs very little water. The plant is good both for the soil and the atmosphere.

The potential for hemp is vast - including sustainable bio-mass (power) and bio-diesel (fuel). All the amazing things that can be made with hemp, also means that nothing is wasted in the production process: seeds are used to make oil and food supplements, while the stalks are used for fibre. Hemp also produces more fibre per acre than trees, and can be renewed two to three times per year! These factors make it more favourable than other fibres.

Up until the 1920's almost 80% of clothing were made from hemp textiles. The problem we've found, is that despite all these amazing qualities, designers are trying to move away from the "bobbly-hippy-hempy" look associated with ethical fashion and interiors. In response to this, however, slowly, manufacturers are catching on, and developing smoother, more refined looking hemp fabrics.

A great way this has been developed is through blends, which have become a huge benefit to hemp sales and designers - creating smoother finishes, using it's slubby quality to create a more fashionable texture (think H&M jersey tops). We're extremely pleased to provide great blends ourselves, including the ever-sought after jerseys: