At RAINE Clothing, it’s our goal to always ensure that we’re being as innovative as possible when it comes to offering eco-friendly, sustainable fashion options that are both comfortable and practical. That’s why, this week, we’re very excited to be able to share a new addition to our eco-friendly fabric line up with you: organic hemp!
What is hemp?
As you may remember from our ‘5 Sustainable Fabrics to Buy’ blog post, hemp is a highly sustainable fabric, and is actually considered one of the most eco-friendly options currently available. It’s also highly versatile, and can be spun to a variety of textures and thicknesses, making it a real star material for those of us who are trying to shop more sustainably!
What makes organic hemp so eco-friendly?
Hemp is a highly durable plant, which means that harsh chemicals and pesticides are not needed to assist with its growth, but that’s not even the most impressive thing about hemp: it actually returns 60-70% of the nutrients it takes from the soil, so is far less draining on natural resources than some counterparts. In keeping with being so kind to the planet, organic hemp also requires far less water than most alternatives, with current figures suggesting that hemp requires up to 50% less water to grow than organic cotton, and also requires far less processing.
Finally, hemp also requires far less space to grow than more traditional fabric crops; if we again compare to organic cotton, in crops of the same size, almost double the amount of fibre can be harvested from hemp.
Due to these factors, organic hemp is actually considered a carbon negative material, as it absorbs more CO2 from its surroundings than are generated in its growth and cultivation.
What are the benefits of wearing clothes made from hemp?
Hemp material makes for durable, practical clothing which is also comfortable, hence its popularity in sustainable fashion. Hemp is naturally a antimicrobial and antibacterial fabric, which makes it a great choice for both casualwear and sportswear, where you may be working up a sweat during use; it’s also moisture wicking, which means if you are using it for this purpose, you’re likely to notice a significant improvement in your comfort levels during your workouts. Hemp fibres also have relatively hollow shafts in their weave, which mean that it has the highly impressive ability to be both breathable and insulating – a truly amazing material!
Aside from these incredible benefits, hemp is also an incredibly strong fabric – it’s thought to be up to 5 times stronger than organic cotton – and this strength means it’s both less likely to lose shape over time, and that it doesn’t crease as easily as some more conventional fabrics – so it’s bound to last you a while!
How can I purchase organic hemp clothing?
As hemp is slowly becoming more well-known for its incredible eco-friendly credentials, more and more sustainable clothing brands are turning to organic hemp as a material to incorporate within their collections, and as it is incredibly versatile and can be spun to varying thicknesses, there are a considerably larger number of options available for those of us who prefer ethically conscious clothing, so you’ll likely be able to find a range of options at your favourite eco-friendly retailers.
Naturally, we’re also incorporating this incredible fabric into our collections here at RAINE Clothing, and you can now purchase our Men’s Gi, which is made from 100% hemp, with the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu community in mind.
We hope you’ve found this deep dive into the provenance and benefits of organic hemp interesting! If there are any fabrics you’d like us to cover on the RAINE Clothing blog, please let us know in the comments below, and we’ll get writing!
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