Why fashion needs to invest in hemp

Europe, summer of 2023. The lifeblood of trade, the mighty Rhine River… reduced to a trickle. Cargo ships have to shed their weight to even stay afloat. It’s the worst drought in half a millennium, and it’s not an isolated incident.

Wildfires ravage California.

Floods devastate Pakistan.

The list goes on.

These headlines are stark reminders that our climate is in crisis.

Now, you might be thinking, what does this have to do with fashion? Well, the fashion industry accounts for a staggering 3 to 8 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Out of 50+ industries, one is responsible for 10% of the climate mess. That’s a massive problem.

Fashion can’t afford to ignore this problem any longer. We need solutions and we need them now. For too long, the industry has paid lip service. It’s time that they walked the talk.

This is where hemp is a gamechanger. Here’s why every fashion CEO needs to stop what they’re doing and reinvent their companies into hemp-fashion bands.

Hemp fabric is better than any other eco-friendly fabric

If you’re an insider from the fashion industry, you know that “eco-friendly” isn’t always what it seems. So let me explain why hemp fabric is hands-down the most sustainable option compared to other “eco” materials on the market.

First up, let’s compare hemp fabric with bamboo viscose. Sure, bamboo-viscose is plant-based, but the chemical processing required makes it far from green.

And what about cotton? Regular cotton is a total water-guzzler so we’re not even talking about it. Even organic cotton isn’t any better.

As for synthetics like polyester or nylon? They’re derived from fossil fuels and spew microplastics into our oceans with every wash. Far from ideal for Mother Nature.

Hemp, on the other hand, grows with minimal water and zero pesticides. It’s durable, breathable, and softer than you’d imagine. When you choose hemp clothing, you make a truly eco-conscious choice. This has to be the motto of fashion from 2024 onwards — how to look good and not hurt the earth, at the same time.

Hemp is the most versatile that fabric fashion industry can ask for

When you think about the top products in the fashion industry—casual wear, sportswear, and accessories—it’s clear that versatility in fabric is key. You can make each of these (and hundreds of other products) from hemp.

While hemp excels in t-shirts and basics, it’s great for beautifully textured weaves, suitable for everything from tailoring to shirting.

Hemp’s tensile strength surpasses cotton by a long shot. This means less wear, tear, and premature replacement.

Unlike cotton that can degrade over time, hemp softens with every wash. Imagine clothing that improves with use – that’s true for everything made from hemp.

Hemp’s strong fibers resist creasing, perfect for travel-friendly pieces or those demanding a polished look with minimal effort.

Hemp blends well with other fibers — whether it’s silk for a luxurious drape or cotton for a familiar touch.

Without a doubt, hemp is the upgrade that the fashion industry desperately needs.

The ‘farm to fabric’ process for hemp is already mature and sustainable

Any fashion CEO would tell you this: “sustainable” materials often falter in the real-world process of making those trendy jeans or shirts. With hemp, it’s different. It’s not just a promise, not just potential, but proof.

I didn’t know this 5 years ago. But it’s very hard to keep fertilizers, pesticides, and other chemicals out of the entire farm to fabric process. And we can’t keep the bad stuff out of the process, the promise of ‘eco-friendly fabric’ goes away by the time hemp crop becomes a tee-shirt someone would pay for.

But in the last 5 years, so much work has been done in the ‘farm to fabric’ process for hemp, that all these hurdles have been crossed. Here are three examples.

1. Hemp blends beautifully with fibers like organic cotton or silk. And we don’t need to even touch a harmful synthetic substance in the process.
2. Our hemp needs no toxic pesticides or fertilizers to thrive. This clean start continues through organic processing. This means that our final material is as kind to the earth as it is to the wearer.
3. Hemp is naturally biodegradable. Because we can make ready-to-wear apparel without any dyes, these garments are 100% biodegradable, with no trace whatsoever.

The bottom line is that the only thing stopping fashion from cleaning up its act is — the desire to do it. The material and the method are there, and the name is hemp.

Fashion’s choice: kill the earth with cotton, or save it with hemp

Take a moment to consider this. Who exports most of the world’s cotton? China and India. Who has suffered the maximum devastation from climate disasters? China and India.