Among the many uses of industrial hemp, the fibrous plant is well known for its usefulness in creating long-lasting and durable textiles. While cotton has long been king in the world of fabrics, industrial hemp offers a sustainable approach to creating high-quality fabrics and clothing. How does hemp really stack up to cotton when compared side-by-side, and how can this plant change the way we think about the textile industry?
The cultivation of hemp and cotton
Before a crop can be processed into a fabric or any other material, it must be cultivated. Many fabrics and clothing around the world today are produced from the cotton plant. Cotton grows in tropical and subtropical regions, including China, India, and the southern U.S. Cotton has long been celebrated for its versatility, but when compared to hemp it turns out it is a far more environmentally demanding crop to cultivate.
Cotton is a water-intensive crop that also requires a significant amount of pesticides to successfully grow on an industrial scale. Each acre of planted cotton produces roughly 500 pounds of fiber in a single grow cycle, which can take anywhere between 120 and 200 days.
Hemp, on the other hand, takes just 70 to 110 days to produce 1,500 pounds of fiber per acre. It demands less water than cotton, as well as fewer pesticides or fertilizers. Moreover, the roots of the hemp plant aerate the soil in which they are planted, which improves the land for future crops. Because cotton requires high amounts of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, it has the opposite effect, generally degrading the soil in which it is grown for years to come.
The sustainability of hemp cultivation in comparison with the drawbacks of large-scale cotton production makes the plant a clear choice when it comes to growing and harvesting. However, that is just the start of the process. Once harvested, the plant must be processed into a finished textile product, whether its linens, clothing, rope, or yarn.
How are hemp fabrics made?
Hemp fabrics are made by leveraging the fibrous stalks of the plant. These stalks include two primary layers. The outer layer is made of bast fibers, a strong, cellulosic fiber that could be likened to a rope. The inner layer is made of a spongy, white tissue known as pith, which is like the inside of citrus fruit rinds.
The bast layer is where hemp fabrics come from. It is typically stripped from the plant in a process known as retting to be manufactured. Retting involves the intentional decaying of pectin, which binds the fibers to the core of the stalk. As the pectin decays, the bast fibers are separated from the rest of the plant.
Once separated, the bast fibers are carded into strands and cleaned to remove any impurities. After cleaning, manufactures put the hemp through matting or steaming. The former produces mats and fleeces, while the latter turns raw hemp into a fiber that can be weaved, much like a yarn. This yarn, much like cotton and silk yarns, can be woven together to create a fabric. While there are plenty of examples of 100% hemp fabrics out there, hemp can also be blended with other types of yarn as well, including cotton.
