Because it’s botanically related to marijuana, many people believe that hemp is completely illegal to grow in the U.S. This is not the case, though it is not grown as widely as it should be. Industrial hemp is legal to produce, trade and possess in Oregon, Maine, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota and Vermont, though the federal Drug Enforcement Agency has imposed some restrictions. To be absolutely clear, hemp does not have any of marijuana’s psychoactive properties. You can grow it, process it, eat it, and wear it, but you sure can’t smoke it, even if you set it on fire! Meanwhile, Americans spend $360 million every year on imported hemp, and that number is growing. Wouldn’t it make more sense to develop the industrial hemp market here in the U.S.?

WHAT’S SO GOOD ABOUT HEMP?

Hemp grows very well in North America with no artificial fertilizers and pesticides required. The entire plant can be used, from seed to foliage:   as a diet supplement, for biomass fuels,  to make paper, boxes and bags,  even as home insulation.

Hemp is also wonderfully durable. I have a hemp sweater that never seems to wrinkle or lose its shape, and hemp shoes I don’t think will ever wear out. If allowed to flourish, hemp could become the foundation for an amazingly sustainable industry

So…what are the downsides? 

Hemp loses some of its appeal depending on how it’s harvested and processed.

The preferable harvesting process is called “field” or “dew” retting: plant stems are cut or pulled up and essentially left in the field to rot, which will naturally separate the bast fibers from the woody core. This is the process used in countries that have stronger environmental regulations.

The alternative “water retting process” is not so eco-friendly. Instead of letting the plant stems rot naturally, they’re immersed in fresh water, which then needs to be treated and disposed of.

Either way, once the fibers are separated from their woody core, then need to be put through a mechanical finishing process. In China, where water retting is common, chemical methods are sometimes used to make cottonized or flock hemp. These chemicals also strip hemp of its naturally strong characteristics. Like most other fabrics, including bamboo and cotton, hemp is sometimes cleaned and softened with caustic sodas. This is not an eco friendly practice as it releases harmful chemicals into the environment.

Hemp can be produced organically, just as cotton can be produced organically. Unfortunately, the hemp industry lacks precise consumer guidelines and it is difficult to tell whether hemp clothing was produced in the most eco friendly way or if harsh chemicals were used.

ECOLUTION® is a European company that is producing hemp in exactly the right way, as you can see on their website where they posted a visual of their processing steps.

Another company to consider is Sweet Grass Natural Fibers , an one online store that makes all of its clothing in the U.S., uses no plastic packaging in shipping, and invests in renewable wind power.

SHOP OUR STORE

In addition to the retailers listed above, we hope you’ll browse our store. We’ve found t-shirts, dresses, shorts, skirts, and even shoes, made mostly with a combination of hemp and organic cotton. At the least, you’ll get an idea of the variety of fashions you can now buy that are made from hemp.

 RELATED POSTS

How to Shop for Eco-Friendly Clothing, Part 1: Read the Label

How to Shop for Eco-Friendly Clothing, Part 2: Try Tencel or Lyocell

Clothing: What’s Eco, and What’s Not

Bamboo: Green, or Green Washed?

Dry Your Clothes for Free

The post Shopping for Eco-Friendly Clothes, Part 3: Choose Hemp appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Lyocell, which is also sold under the trade name TENCEL® or Lenzing Lyocell, offers several advantages over conventional cotton and even rayon, another fiber made from cellulose. The trees Lyocell is made from are grown without pesticides, often in sustainably managed forests on land that’s not suitable for other crops. Though harsh chemicals are needed to soften the wood pulp so it can be converted into fiber, the chemicals are captured in a “closed loop” processing system so they can be reused rather than discharged into local water supplies. (NOTE: The Organic Clothing blog cautions people who are highly chemically sensitive to be alert to possible allergic reactions to TENCEL.)

Lyocell also offers advantages over cotton when it comes to water. According to this excellent analysis by the Natural Resources Defense Council, unless the cotton is only grown using rain water, Lyocell can end up using far less water to produce than either conventional or organic cotton. Sustainable textiles expert Coral Rose notes, “I strongly believe Lenzing’s products are a key component to any sustainable fiber strategy, when considering all the environmental impacts associated with fiber growing and production.”

New Innovations in TENCEL® are giving way to several variations of the fabric. TENCEL® MICRO is a very smooth silky fiber, while TENCEL® with Multitouch can be used to make heavier fabrics like denim.

Shopping for TENCEL®

TENCEL® products are widely available, some at very reasonable prices. Forever 21, for example, offers a severl TENCEL-based garments like this blazer.

You can also find a huge selection of TENCEL® clothing at Tianello.

To try out a TENCEL® sheet set, check out Downlite  or even your local Bed Bath and Beyond Store.

Use Your Purse!

The U.S. has an extremely high average fiber consumption per capita, approximately 41.8 kg per year compared to the international average of 10.5 kg per year. Clearly, how we choose to spend our money on clothing directly affects the environment. The next time you are faced with a choice between TENCEL® and cotton, choose the most eco-friendly option: TENCEL®.

For More Information…

Don’t miss Part 1 of our series, “How to Shop for Eco-Friendly Clothing”

You can learn more about Tencel if you read this interview with Coral Rose, who has been a featured speaker at events such as The ECO-SHOW, All Things Organic (ATO), and Texworld-New York, to name a few. In this article Coral points out how rare it is to find a company that answers the questions “what is the source of our raw materials? [and] Where were the materials harvested, processed, produced?” Her opinion on the environmental impact of fiber growing and production is that Lenzing Modal and Tencel come out on top.

Modal
Modal, which is also manufactured by Lenzing, is made from beech trees. Modal is highly absorbent and, like Tencel, resists fading.  100% Modal  is most often made into towels or bedding, though it blends very well with cotton and is another great choice for clothing.

The post How to Shop for Eco-Friendly Clothes – Part 2: Try TENCEL or Lyocell appeared first on Big Green Purse.