5 GOOD REASONS TO CHOOSE HEMP FABRICS
Hemp fabrics are often applauded for being the most sustainable fabric option on the planet, but what are the practical benefits of using hemp fabric for clothing, interior design, upholstery, or any other textile uses? Today we are looking at 5 good reasons to choose hemp fabrics for your next project.
It’s Antibacterial
Hemp fabric is antibacterial, antifungal and antimicrobial. Not many fabrics can boast that fact! This makes hemp a great choice for underwear and socks as it helps to keep you fresh all day long and helps to prevent bacterial infections. It’s also a great choice for making towels, flannels and washcloths.
It’s Biodegradable
Hemp is a natural fibre, and therefore it is completely biodegradable! Choosing hemp fabric over a synthetic alternative means that once the fabric has reached the end of its usable life span you can rest assured that it will break down naturally and not harm the environment.
There is a huge problem with plastic microfibers from synthetic fabrics such as polyester making their way into the oceans. Each time a synthetic fabric is washed, tiny plastic fibres break away and go down the drain, eventually ending up in our waterways where they pollute the environment. They’re so small that they are ingested by fish and those fish are in turn eaten by other animals, and of course humans. Avoiding synthetics by choosing hemp instead is a surefire way to prevent further plastic pollution entering the oceans and the food chain.
It’s UV Resistant
Hemp fabric has natural UV resistance, it does not fade or degrade from exposure to sunlight as fast as other materials and it helps to give you sun protection when used for clothing. Some studies have shown that hemp is 99.9% effective at blocking UVA and UVB rays, giving it a 50+ UPF factor.
This resistance to sunlight makes it a great choice for any upholstery or interior design uses that will be exposed to lots of sunlight. We’re thinking about curtains here especially, the one piece of fabric in your home that is exposed to near constant sunlight. Of course, modern windows block a lot of UV light from entering our home but they still let UV-A light through, which over time can make your curtains or upholstery fade.
It’s Durable
Hemp fabric is highly durable. It is estimated to have 5x the tensile strength of cotton and 3x the durability. If you want your fabric to last a long time, then hemp is the choice for you. Hemp canvas was used throughout history for all kinds of heavy duty uses including making the sails on ships, making tents for soldiers, and covering the wagons of the original pioneers that forged their way west across the USA. As you can imagine, all of these uses would have sustained heavy wear and tear but hemp was always up to the job!
Just because it is durable, does not mean it cannot also be comfortable. In the modern age, we now have hemp fabrics that are just as soft as cotton and there are lots of blends available such as hemp and organic cotton, hemp and silk, or hemp and bamboo which offer superior softness alongside hemp’s legendary durability.
It’s Environmentally Friendly
Last but definitely not least, our absolute favourite thing about hemp is that it has the ability to heal our planet! From the air to the soil, hemp is kind to mother nature at every step of its life and that’s why we love it here at the hemp shop. We’ve talked endlessly about the environmental benefits of the hemp plant in other blogs and all across our website, urbanre-leafhome.com.
Urban re-leaf home specializes in hemp and sustainable pillow covers. Design choices ranges from boho to modern and farmhouse to traditional.