Hemp Fabric: An Alternative To Cotton

Just producing 1kg of cotton fibre, which roughly amounts to the production of one t-shirt and a pair of jeans, requires around 20,000 litres of water. On the other hand, producing the same amount of hemp fibre needs less than 3,000 litres of water. This means that one saves 1,000-2,000 litres of water per t-shirt. The expansive use of cotton in today’s time has hence led to serious environmental concerns, such as soil degradation, water pollution and biodiversity loss.

- Mousmi Sejpal

One of the oldest fibres, hemp fabric has seen a resurgence and growing popularity in recent years. Evolving customer mindset, prioritising sustainability, environmental protection and conscious consumption has focussed the spotlight back on natural fibres, especially hemp.

Hemp has been a part of our histories for centuries with its usage dating back to around 4000 BC. Its use for various purposes like food, clothing and medication was popular in ancient India and other regions like Thailand, Malaysia and China. Hemp fabric is derived from the plant Cannabis Sativa, or Vijaya. Its association to marijuana situates it in a negative light, however hemp only contains 0.3% or less tetrahydrocannabinol content THC), the cannabinoid responsible for psychoactive effects. This makes hemp fabric non-psychoactive and a legal and safe alternative to cotton.

Hemp fabric’s rising acceptance can be attributed to it being a sustainable and eco-friendly option with a range of benefits, from its durability and breathability to its ability to regulate temperature. Hemp plants are very easy to grow, requiring very little water and no pesticides. Moreover, they detoxify soil contaminated with heavy metals and other pollutants and are capable of more cycle rotations than other plants.

Compared to cotton, which is one of the most commonly used fabrics in the fashion industry, hemp fabric has a much smaller environmental footprint. Cotton requires large amounts of water and pesticides to grow, and the production process requires a significant amount of energy and chemicals. Just producing 1kg of cotton fibre,