We talked about linen in our previous post on natural materials, flax linen and hemp share several similarities: both come from the stem of plants, require very little water & land to grow (especially compared to cotton) and no pesticides. These attributes are favourable when considering the amount of resources required to turn a crop into yarn.
Interestingly, hemp fiber is up to eight times stronger than linen, which means that garments made out of hemp will last longer. As a crop, hemp yields more than flax for the same amount of land.
Hemp is a great choice if you are conscious about the impact clothes production has over the environment and people. Hemp is anti-microbial, anti-mildew, naturally UV resistant and any undyed hemp garments will not rot. Hemp is widely known for its variety of uses across many industries and it's gaining traction in Australia.
If you're after a truly sustainable fabric, check that it's GOTS certified.
Sources:
Hemp Farms Australia, 2021, https://hempfarmsaustralia.com.au/
HempFarm.org, 2021, http://www.hempfarm.org/Papers/Hemp_Facts.html
OecoTextiles, 2015, https://oecotextiles.blog/2015/08/05/should-i-choose-a-hemp-or-linen-fabric/
Check out our selection of hemp socks, made in Japan!