Hemp Clothes – Better Clothing?

hemp based clothes

Hemp clothing?! Did I hear that right? Yes you did. Until now, you have probably only heard about hemp during CBD discussions. Well, there's more to hemp than just that. The industrial revolution of hemp is kicking off and hemp clothing might be at the center of it all. There are hemp clothes, but why should you even consider wearing it? Read on to find out all you need to know about hemp clothes.

Brief History of Hemp Clothing

Hemp is a variety of the Cannabis sativa plant. It has a rich history as records show that this versatile plant has been cultivated for centuries. Also referred to as industrial hemp, the plant is used for various purposes which include making textiles, biodegradables, paper, oils and construction materials.

Some people claimed hemp has been in use as far back as 770 AD but so far no one has been able to state when human first wore clothes made from hemp. If we can’t date the first time hemp cloth was worn, we at least know when the oldest hemp clothing was found. That was in 2014 at Çatalhöyük in Turkey. The cloth was estimated to be at least 9,000 years old.

During World War II, US farmers were encouraged to grow hemp when the nation was unable to procure Manila hemp produced by the Philippines.

Blue jeans legend, Levi Strauss, was reputed to have used hemp in making the first Levi trousers shipped to miners during the American gold rush.

How is Hemp Clothing made?

Hemp is a bast plant. Its stalks have two layers ― outer layer with rope-like fibers ― and the inner layer with woody pith. Due to its tensile strength, the outer layer is used in making hemp clothing while the inner layer is used other purposes like fuel, paper and construction.

To separate the outer layer from the inner layer, the hemp plant under a process known as retting. The hemp plant is cut and left laid in the field for almost 28 days. It is turned every few days during the process. For easy separation of the two layers, the plant is watered except if the dew content is considered enough as alternative.

Another alternative is placing the hemp plant in running water instead of using the field.

When fully retted, the outer and inner layers are separated by a process called hackling. Picture the hackling process as combing your hair.

Why should you wear hemp clothes?

This is the million-dollar question a lot of cannabis enthusiasts want the answer to. Why should we wear hemp clothes? Should we wear it because of our love for cannabis or because of its superior benefits compared to typical clothing materials?

Below are a couple of the mindblowing qualities of clothes produced from hemp:

Durability

Hemp clothes are three times stronger than those made from cotton. People wearing hemp clothes can worry less about replacing their wardrobe. They can also wear their favorite hemp cloth as many times as they prefer without any fear of tear.

When travelling, you can also pack fewer clothes. Hemp clothes are easier to wash and really light.

Environment friendly

The concern for the safety of our environment is increasing daily considering the amount of exhaust and waste we generate globally.

Hemp clothes are one of the few renewable materials in the world. Not only that, hemp plants are natural pest repellants. Farmers do not need any use of pesticide. No need for fertilizers and other chemicals used for conventional cultivation.

Hemp also absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere making our environment safer. You can see if we all wear hemp clothes, our environment has a lot to benefit.

Less Water Usage During Cultivation

Worried about how much water is required to grow crops? You shouldn't be. Do you know that hemp plants require lesser irrigation when compared to cotton? So not only is hemp more durable, it requires less water during cultivation.

This is a significant factor in ensuring no logging in your area. Logging happens when there is too much water absorbed by a land; thus, encouraging erosion. Logging may also result in pollution of water bodies.

Comfy

Hemp clothes are very comfortable on the body. They are breathable and good absorbers of sweat. Tired of the color or want to renew its look? Hemp clothes are also easy to dye and do not fade easily.

Instead of becoming weaker after successive washes, hemp clothes get softer and comfier on the skin.

Soil Health

Hemp can be grown typically on all types of soil. Although it grows best in tropical regions and moderately cool climates, hemp can be cultivated anywhere around the world.

Unlike crops like cotton, hemp does not diminish the soil nutrient. It instead improves the rich soil constituents even when repeatedly planted for 100 years. Leaves are shed throughout hemp plant cycle, nourishing the soil.

Hemp roots also preserve topsoil and subsoil structures. Lesser land is also required to produce high yields of hemp. Farmers have reported hemp producing about 250% more fiber than cotton and 600% more fiber than flax per acre.

Protection

Hemp clothes are anti-microbial and could help protect your skin. This property helps prevent the growth of mildew and molds. It is a great choice for people with body odor and others who prefer a healthy skin.

You think that is all hemp could offer your skin? No buddy. Hemp plants are also antioxidants; they could protect you from skin diseases. The fact that no pesticides or chemicals are used during the cultivation of hemp plants also saves you from the risk of allergic reactions.

To top it all, hemp cloth can protect the skin from UV rays. This is possible due to the high number of threads in the cloth making it tightly woven. Sun rays are unable to penetrate.

Cost-Effective

Hemp clothes are suitable to be worn during cold and hot weather. Its design makes it easy to trap heat and keep you warm in cold weather. Likewise, its light and breathable property make it a good fit for warm weather.

Bottom line

Hemp clothes shouldn’t only be worn by cannabis lovers but by everyone. If we consider the plethora of benefits it offers our skin and the environment, hemp clothing is a no-brainer.