Hemp

Hemp
Origin: Belgium, France

• Hemp is a bast fiber.
• Hemp needs little help to thrive and most hemp cultivation is done with rainfall and no irrigation.
• Hemp is grown in rotation, nourishing the soil for other crops. While it grows, it replenishes the soil with nitrogen and other nutrients, while removing toxic chemicals at the same time. Hemp was intentionally grown at the radioactive Chornobyl site to remove toxins and pollutants from the soil.
• The average tree takes about 10 years to grow to maturity, while hemp can take as little as 3 months to be ready to harvest. Industrial hemp plants absorb more carbon dioxide than trees and store it in the soil thanks to their root system.
• For hemp production, herbicides aren’t necessary. Hemp also naturally reduces pests, so no pesticides are needed. It returns 60-70% of the nutrients it takes from the soil.
• When you add processing into the equation, cotton uses around four times as much water as hemp. Hemp can produce over double the fiber yield per hectare as cotton.
• Nothing is wasted in producing hemp: seeds are used to make oil and food supplements, while the stalks are used for fiber.
• The fiber is naturally UV resistant and absorbent and is also known for its anti-bacterial, anti-mold and insulative qualities.