HEMP CLOTHES

The Columbia History of the World states that the oldest relic of human history is a piece of hemp fabric dating back to approximately 8,000 B.C. Hemp was used for weaving in Greece centuries before the time of Christ and was harvested in most of Europe during the middle ages.

In early Canadian history hemp was one of our first agricultural imports. It was common practice for tracts of land to be issued to settlers in Canada on the provision that they grow hemp. Hemp produces the strongest, most durable natural fiber on Earth! Up until the 1880's, up to 70 percent of all textile and fabric for clothes, linens, canvas and cordage was made from hemp.

Is cotton a wise choice for clothing? Is cotton a wise choice for our environment (our planet)?

These Questions will be answered for you by the following information.


Hemp vs. Cotton

In 1995 U.S. farmers applied 1/3 of a pound of chemical pesticides for every pound of cotton harvested. The chemicals used in cotton agriculture are among the most toxic as classified by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Currently in the U.S. 1500 lakes have been contaminated with pesticide, herbicide and fertilizer runoff, to the point where nothing can live in them!

**Cotton is grown on 3% of the earths best arable land and uses 26% of the worlds pesticide.**

Cotton is a very thirsty plant that demands heavy soil irrigation, that drains the land of its natural water supply. Cotton exhausts the soil forcing farmers to rely heavily on chemical fertilizers. In developing countries, pesticide and fertilizer regulations are less stringent and the environmental damage is more severe.

Cotton likes the warmer southern states, hemp can be grown right here in Canada. Hemp can grow without the need for fungicides, pesticides or chemical fertilizers! This means that there are no polluted lakes to be found where hemp is farmed. Hemp is ecologically friendly!

An acre of land will produce 2 to 3 times as much fiber as cotton, about 1,000 pounds per acre.

Hemp is four times softer than cotton. It is also fire retardant. It has the ability to keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The fabric also does not accumulate static electricity.

Hemp softens with each washing, without fiber degradation. Hemp doesn't wear out, it wears in. It is frequently blended with organic cotton, silk or bamboo to produce a variety of fabrics with attractive properties.

It is anti-microbial, anti-mildew, will not mold or rot, and also takes on Eco-safe plant based dyes. it is the most durable of natural fibers, it is 3.3 percent more durable than cotton. Hemp breathes well and wicks away moisture from the body better than cotton.

It has the ability to effectively reflect up to 95 percent of Ultraviolet rays, while cotton reflects only 30 percent. Spectral analysis of fiber using ions registered nine elements beneficial for health in much higher quantities than any other fabric. ( The Institute of Chinese Academy of Science).

Research on hemp clothing at Washington State University confirms that hemp has a positive effect on the human skin. It is said to stimulate the glands, quickens the division of skin cells, and facilitates the harmonization of the condition of the nervous system. It also stated that the hollow parts of the fiber ensure hydrogen uptake, protecting the skin from bacteria.

Is it any wonder why people wearing hemp clothing, "state that it makes them feel that they are protected".

Clothes made from hemp have their own personality; according to legend hemp is alive!