Fiber Content: 100% Hemp
How long it takes to biodegrade: 6-8 months
Its natural properties: Hemp has excellent strength and durability - it's 2-3 times stronger than cotton. It's very breathable, highly resistant to abrasion, relatively lightweight, and wicks away moisture very well. The natural texture of the hemp is typically visible, giving the finished fabric a natural, organic look and feel. Hemp is a coarser fiber and isn't as refined or smooth as silk and cotton, but it resists wrinkles well and softens with wear without degradation of the fiber. It's antimicrobial and odor-resistant, and is more thermally stable than cotton. It biodegrades quickly and cleanly (synthetics take between 300-600 years to breakdown, and release chemicals into the soil as they do so).
Where it’s made: Canada
How it’s made: Hemp is turned from raw material into fabric much like flax is turned into linen. Like flax, hemp is an annual plant. It goes from seed to harvest in about three months. The stalks are harvested and left in the field to rett by natural exposure to moisture and bacteria. The fibers of the hemp plant are bast fibers located in the phloem of the stalk. They are long strands of cellulose that run from the root system to the top of the plant, surrounding the woody core keeping the pant upright but flexible. The retting process allows the stalks to break down so the long fibers can be separated out for processing. While in the field, most of the nutrients the plant extracted from the soil during growth are returned to the earth as the leaves and stalk decompose. The stalks are gathered and baled, and left to dry before processing. A series of machine rollers or hammermills break down any of the remaning brittle, woody core which is then cleaned and carded out. The bast fibers are split and separated and prepared to be turned into yarn. The fiber is treated to remove natural binders that make strands stick together. Hemp plants can grow anywhere from four to 15 feet, producing very long finished fibers. Those filaments are spun together by hand or machine into yarn. Hemp, like flax, is typically spun into thin/fine yarn, which can then by plyed together for a heavier weight product. The finished yarn is scoured, or boiled, for several hours with soap to clean and finish the fiber. Hemp does not have any natural elasticity (despite it's strong flexibility) so it is almost always woven rather than knitted. The finished yarn is sent off to be woven into fabric on machine looms. This fabric has a subtle twill weave, which is different than a traditional flat or broadcloth weave. Rather than each warp and weft yarn overlapping 1-1, each strand of yarn overlaps two to three yarns at a time. This results in the classic diagonal twill pattern, and results in a stronger, heavier fabric. Hemp requires relatively minimal processing and very little water, and many of the steps are done by hand or simple machinery. Going from plant to finished fabric requires little chemical or machine altering of the natural material, and all of the byproducts of the manufacturing process are 100% recyclable or biodegradable.
What it is: Sturdy, durable but soft hemp twill that can be pressed to a neat, crisp finish, or left rumpled for a perfectly lived-in look. The perfect complement to our Signature linen fabric - it has luxurious body and the undefinable quality of possessing weight and lightness simultaneously. Textured with a beautiful grid-like pattern, almost like a dobby cloth. It will only soften and improve with age. Hemp is a fiber that grows quickly and with little use of pesticides or water. It produces a coarser, less refined fiber than cotton or silk, but it's strength, durability, and easy of growth make it a an attractively responsible fabric and it works well for heavier weight garments.
How to wear it: This hemp twill is on the heavier side, and is most suitable for Spring, Fall and Winter. It's wearable during the summer, but it's weight could feel uncomfortable in high temperatures. Excellent paired with lightweight cotton. Layer in the fall and winter.
Care Instructions: Hand or machine wash on gentle cycle with cold water. Tumble dry low. Leave unpressed for a beautifully rumpled look, or press on medium heat with steam to remove wrinkles, straighten neckline, sleeves and hem. Will press to a crisp, smooth finish. All of our garments are pre-laundered here before we ship them out. We test and account for shrinkage in the pattern itself, so after washing the garment shrinks to it's correct size. Once you receive it, washing is totally safe! This is a natural fiber, so wash and wear will likely cause slight changes like subtle fading and softening over time, but this only makes the garments better in our eyes. Washing in cold water and washing only when necessary will minimize this.