Regenerative fibres: High on hemp

[snoop1130]

 

Let me begin my article by clarifying that I did not mean getting high on hemp in a literal way, I meant that it is about time we get high on all the amazing properties hemp has to mitigate climate change and become a big player in creating a greener and more sustainable economy.

 

Unfortunately, every time someone says, ”hemp”, most people relate to it as a drug and there have been endless debates on whether it should be fully legalised. Hemp is not a crop we discovered recently, its origins can be traced back many years. The obvious question is if hemp was widely grown and had amazing properties which benefit the planet, why did it become illegal to grow hemp? There are many different reasons, hemp was about to hit mainstream in the 1930s but America banned it around that time and the rest of the world followed. According to a February 1938 issue of Popular Mechanics, hemp was about to become a billion dollar crop before the Marihuana Tax Act. There is one theory which basically blames Dupont for getting hemp banned because they were launching their synthetic fibres and the rest as we know it today is history. If hemp did not get banned, could we have rewritten some of the history? That is an interesting thought especially now that we know that synthetic fibres are bad for the planet.

 

Synthetic fibres like nylon gave rise to an industry we now call, ’fast fashion’. This is one of the most polluting industries, two thirds of the world’s textiles are made with synthetic materials mostly, petroleum based polymers such as polyester, polyamide and acrylic. Most people who are aware that plastic is bad for the environment are not aware that the clothes we wear essentially have the same qualities as plastic. It is not only bad for the environment, it is not the best fabric for human health either. The issue with fast fashion goes way beyond fibres and environmental pollution, the idea that a product is meant to be used only a few times and discarded is extremely wasteful. There are multiple stories on how fast fashion companies exploit labour and the business model is fundamentally flawed. Activists and slow fashion advocates have been trying to ensure that there are better regulations to ensure that fast fashion companies move towards a more circular business model. A lot of consumers are demanding sustainability and activists are carrying slogans saying, ’No fashion on a dead planet’.

 

There are a lot of circular solutions currently: reduce, reuse, recycle, thrift, rewear, repair, regenerative fibres etc. A lot of fashion brands are incorporating this in their business model. Most solutions are driven by consumer activism where consumers are taking a stand on supporting only brands which are committing to a circular economy.

 

One solution to make fashion more circular is to use regenerative fibres which are circular in design and not wasteful in production. Hemp is definitely something a lot of slow fashion brands across the world are already embracing, it is currently expensive but a lot of designers feel that it has properties which justify its cost. I normally use the term regenerative with lots of caution but I think hemp has some amazing qualities and it is a crop which is definitely regenerative, every part of the crop can be used to create something useful which also makes it a zero waste crop.

 

Full Story: https://expatlifeinthailand.com/fashion/regenerative-fibres-high-on-hemp/

 

-- © Copyright Expat Life in Thailand 2022-01-14

 

- Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

- Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[connda]

Very dangerous stuff.  Sunk the Titanic! 
 

 

[brianthainess]

When the British Navy were using 'Tall Ships' all farmers in the UK HAD to grow hemp, I believe by law, to make ropes. Australia grow Hemp & send it to China to be made into fabric. I have seen cranes imported from China with parts tied down for shipping with hemp rope. Hemp does not make you high, it is just one of the Marijuana plant family.