Hemp Textiles
Hemp is known for its incredibly strong fibers and durable textiles. Lets dig into how hemp becomes a textile.
Hemp
to textile
Hemp can grow to almost 16 feet tall. This is a great thing when it comes to fiber production. Hemp fibers are comprised of different sections of fibers. Those sections are primary, secondary, and leftover short pieces. Schumacher (2020) explains, "Bast fibers are made of primary and secondary fibers. Primary fibers are longer and larger compared to secondary fibers. Secondary fibers are shorter and thinner with heavily lignified cell walls. These characteristics make the former desirable for textile use rather than the latter". Meaning, primary fibers are best for textile use. Hemp textiles are incredibly strong and durable, which is a main reason for hemp textiles to weigh more than, say, cotton or polyester. So if these textiles are so good, why aren't they more widely used? Let's dig further into that.
Hemp
Hemp fibers are known for their strength and durability, but they also accomplish a lot more. Fortenbery, Randall, and Mick (2014) explain, “Because hemp grown for fiber requires fewer chemical inputs than most other fiber crops, Smith-Heisters (2008) argues that it has a lower life cycle impact than other fiber crops such as cotton, and this results in a net environmental benefit". Hemp also sequesters more CO2 than any other fiber-producing plant. While these textiles are durable, soft, and environmentally friendly, the current regulations have led to a decrease in interest in producing more of these textiles.
Cotton
Cotton has been an incredibly common product for thousands of years. While it has become a common and much cheaper textile, it falls short compared to other, more environmentally friendly options. Averink (2015) states, “Cotton is a very water-intensive product (Hoekstra, 2013). So, for the total world production of cotton clothes, an exceptionally large amount of water is necessary. The production and consumption of a cotton product (mostly clothing) is connected to a chain of impacts on the water resources, environment, health, and economy of the countries where it is grown and processed". Since the cotton industry is so prevalent, it will take many years for a transition to hemp to happen, if it happens.
Polyester
Polyester is made of a polymer called polyethylene terephthalate. This polymer is made from petroleum products. Jaffe, Easts, and Feng (2020) explain, "Polyester fiber, specifically poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fiber, is the largest volume synthetic fiber produced worldwide". This fact is almost scary because this means that the majority of our textiles are derived from petroleum. The environmental impacts that petroleum mining has on our planet are detrimental. Although these textiles are so prevalent, they do not compare to hemp in quality or sustainability.