Today's fiber, fabrics and textiles industries are dominated by two materials that cause great damage to the environment.
One is cotton, which is pervasive across the world. Cotton has been used for centuries in the making of fabrics and textiles. New Frontier Data reports that - 'The 1793 invention of the cotton gin suddenly made cotton far and away the most competitive natural fiber in the world, and marked the start of hemp’s long commercial decline.' The creation of cotton weaving machinery aided in turning it into a large scale industry. Cotton, however, has a large carbon footprint. According to Sourcing Journal - 'Hemp is an attractive alternative to cotton due to its comparably low-resource cultivation. It takes about 2,600 gallons of water to produce 1 kilogram of cotton—or a pair of jeans and a shirt—compared to just 80 gallons to 130 gallons for the same amount of hemp. According to a report by the Stockholm Environment Institute commissioned by the BioRegional Development Group and Worldwide Fund for Nature – Cymru, industrial hemp is “low maintenance.” Hemp also has a short grow cycle, about 110 days to cotton’s 150-day growing season. As there are more calls for organic agriculture, hemp also boasts the benefit of being naturally pest-free and therefore pesticide-free.' Sourcing Journal also says that - 'Along with the sustainable and breathable benefits of hemp denim, Madewell is touting the fabric as a soft yet durable addition to closets, noting that the material is three times more durable than cotton.' Westword reports that - '"Hemp takes very little water, as opposed to cotton, which takes a lot to grow. Hemp also doesn't really require pesticides, and is an easy thing to grow organically," Auman says. "On the work-wear end, hemp is the strongest natural fiber on the planet, and with work wear you want fibers to be as strong as they possibly can be."' Nepal Times reports that - '“Hemp fabric is stronger, more absorbent and has better insulation against heat and cold than cotton,” Dahal explains. “Hemp is environmentally friendly.” Given that half the pesticide sprayed worldwide is in cotton plantations, hemp is a nature-friendly alternative fabric. The plant also prevents soil erosion on mountain slopes because of its thick deep root system, and the fabric can be made into at least 100 types of products.'
The second set of materials that dominate the fiber, clothing and textiles industries is synthetic fibers. Almost all this material is produced by the petrochemical industry, thus contributing massively to the global climate change problems. The popularity of synthetics is that it is cheap. This has led to such a massive influx of this material into the industry that the world has literally become a dumping ground for it. Fast fashion and fast consumerism are a result of the advent of the petrochemical based synthetic fiber industry. Where once the consumer bought a piece of clothing once in a few years and used it repeatedly, today's consumer buys fabrics without a second thought. Many of these are scarcely worn before they are dumped, creating massive waste management problems for the planet. The entire clothing and textile industry extols customers to keep buying, and the customer willingly obliges.
Before the advent of these two materials, hemp played a key role in global fibers, fabrics and textiles. The banning of cannabis gave a big push for both these materials, and they have dominated the landscape since then. It is interesting to note that the petrochemical industry is one of the key opponents to cannabis legalization, primarily because of the impact that it will have on these petrochemical-based products, besides fuels, construction material, plastics and automobile parts. New Frontier Data reports that - 'After the outlawing of hemp in the United States, both the introduction
of cheap synthetic fibers, and the agricultural turmoil from two world
wars likewise drove a steady decline in European usage and acreage of
the crop. By 1993, acreage for hemp fiber was just over 12,000 acres, of
which nearly 95% was dedicated for specialty pulp and papermaking.'
The benefits of hemp - as textiles, fabrics and fiber - are massive. Not only, as stated above, is hemp much more sustainable than these materials, it is also good for soil rejuvenation, carbon sequestering and for skin wellness. Many of the skin problems associated with wearing synthetic fibers can be reduced with wearing hemp based clothing. MDPI reports that - 'The research covered the evaluation of phenolic acids content and The Ferric Ion Reducing Antioxidant Power FRAP antioxidant activity of the hemp fabric. The hemp fabric enriched with CBD was used for clothing preparation. The human trials covered wearing of the clothing by 15 volunteers for six weeks and evaluation of hemp garment effect on human skin. The skin parameters were tested twice, before and after six weeks of clothing wearing, according to the own methodology that included measurements of skin biophysical properties including tests of skin moisture, transepidermal water loss, and sebum. Also, the effect of the active substances present on the fabrics on the in vitro culture of human keratinocytes was evaluated. Results of the research proved, that the wearing of developed functional hemp clothing with CBD extracts applied on the fabric surface was safe and caused improvement of skin condition, which can have an influence on slowing down of skin aging'
Globally, countries like China, France and the US have been taking significant steps to cultivate hemp for the clothing, textile and fabric industries. New Frontier Data reports that - 'China’s 13th Five-Year Plan lays out the country’s intention to
cultivate 3.2 million acres of fiber hemp for textiles by 2030. That
move is being fueled by a desire to supplant cotton with less
environmentally taxing crops, part of the country’s ambitions to beat
the U.S. and the EU in achieving net-zero carbon emissions. Early
support and investment from the Chinese government has put the country
at the forefront of innovation in hemp fiber, and is largely responsible
for the country’s 70% market share in the space.' A number of multinational companies - including Levis, Madewell and Patagonia - have been exploring the introduction of hemp-based fabrics. All these efforts are however a very small part of the action that is needed to revolutionize the clothing, fiber, textiles and fabrics industries to make them sustainable once again.
Most clothing, textile and fabric businesses seem only concerned about immediate short term profits. They continue to look for ways in which to make the consumer buy more, and buy more often. They encourage the consumer to discard clothing and fabrics as often as possible, so as to buy more. They focus their research and spending on the very cotton and synthetic materials that makes this industry increasingly unsustainable. New Frontier Data says that - 'The U.K.’s House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee found that
textile production contributes more to climate change than do
international aviation and shipping combined. According to the UN
Environment Assembly, the fashion industry is responsible for 8% of
carbon emissions.'''
It is ironic that China and the US remain key opponents to global cannabis legalization, even as they surreptitiously embrace hemp. This is driven by the thinking that gaining economic dominance over the world is the foremost need today. What they fail to understand is that when it comes to sustainability, it is most important that all nations embrace it, as the race for economic domination as it currently stands will result in the destruction of all, as the planet is an interconnected web that needs all its fibers to be strong and sustainable to be able to survive.
What is needed is a complete revolution in this space. The complete legalization of cannabis will encourage the cultivation of cannabis for its fiber. This will also produce the necessary innovations for large scale manufacture and adoption of hemp. Business leaders have the clout to influence policy makers, and to make the changes necessary within their own industries to make them sustainable. Profitability at the cost of sustainability does not work for anyone, anymore.
Related Articles
The following articles are related to the subject.
'Hemp fiber variety, Bialobrzeskie, contains phenolic acids in its chemical composition giving it inherent antioxidant and antibacterial activity. The use of this raw material in fabric manufacture allows the creation of functional clothing with a positive effect on human skin. The aim of the study was to develop biologically active functional clothing made of pure industrial hemp raw materials, where cannabidiol (CBD) extract applied on the fabric surface strengthened the fiber bioactivity. The design of the clothing technology was focused on keeping the hemp inherent properties on a steady level and avoiding the use of chemicals in each stage of the value chain from plant cultivation up to garment manufacture. The research covered the evaluation of phenolic acids content and The Ferric Ion Reducing Antioxidant Power FRAP antioxidant activity of the hemp fabric. The hemp fabric enriched with CBD was used for clothing preparation. The human trials covered wearing of the clothing by 15 volunteers for six weeks and evaluation of hemp garment effect on human skin. The skin parameters were tested twice, before and after six weeks of clothing wearing, according to the own methodology that included measurements of skin biophysical properties including tests of skin moisture, transepidermal water loss, and sebum. Also, the effect of the active substances present on the fabrics on the in vitro culture of human keratinocytes was evaluated. Results of the research proved, that the wearing of developed functional hemp clothing with CBD extracts applied on the fabric surface was safe and caused improvement of skin condition, which can have an influence on slowing down of skin aging'
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/14/20/6031
'Still, agribusiness contributes approximately $87 billion to the Tar Heel state’s economy. As Daniel Yohannes, CEO of clean-tech manufacturing Renaissance Fiber explained, “the connection between hemp and textiles was obvious, especially in North Carolina. What we’ve come to understand, though, is that hemp promises two very important things. In a traditional sense, hemp will rebuild some of the lost connection between agriculture and industry that actually built the communities we live in here. At the same time, it will improve the environmental impact of some of the U.S. and the world’s largest and most important supply chains. Both are urgently needed.
There almost couldn’t have been a better time for this.”
There is a substantial upside to reshoring: The U.K.’s House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee found that textile production contributes more to climate change than do international aviation and shipping combined. According to the UN Environment Assembly, the fashion industry is responsible for 8% of carbon emissions.'
https://newfrontierdata.com/cannabis-insights/weaving-hopes-for-reshoring-u-s-hemp-textiles/
'A United States flag made of hemp was raised at the Colorado Capitol to cap off Colorado Hemp Week last year, and the Colorado Hemp Association (COHA) planned to continue the tradition in 2021 — but not without a couple of changes.
The Kentucky Cloth Project did a fine job of making the U.S. hemp flag that flew in 2020, but COHA wanted to localize the effort this year. It hired Margaret Eversole of Mesa County to sew both a U.S. flag and a State of Colorado flag made of hemp; they're now flying at the Capitol through June 13.'
https://www.westword.com/marijuana/hemp-flag-flying-colorado-state-capitol-hemp-week-11989171
'China’s 13th Five-Year Plan lays out the country’s intention to cultivate 3.2 million acres of fiber hemp for textiles by 2030. That move is being fueled by a desire to supplant cotton with less environmentally taxing crops, part of the country’s ambitions to beat the U.S. and the EU in achieving net-zero carbon emissions. Early support and investment from the Chinese government has put the country at the forefront of innovation in hemp fiber, and is largely responsible for the country’s 70% market share in the space.
As governments, companies, and entrepreneurs compete to create and implement carbon-neutral technologies, China is likely to remain a major player in the expanding development of the global hemp industry.'
https://newfrontierdata.com/cannabis-insights/how-is-china-poised-to-be-a-hemp-fiber-superpower/
'Along with the sustainable and breathable benefits of hemp denim, Madewell is touting the fabric as a soft yet durable addition to closets, noting that the material is three times more durable than cotton. According to Mary Pierson, Madewell’s senior vice president of denim design, the brand will continue to work with the fiber.
“We’re committed to continue incorporating more hemp into our clothing because it is such an exciting and sustainable fiber to work with,” she said.'
https://sourcingjournal.com/denim/denim-brands/madewell-summerweight-denim-lightweight-cottonized-hemp-summer-278156/
'While still early, 2021 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for the nascent hemp fiber industry. Investment in primary processing operations, combined with interest in the plant’s potential to help “decarbonize the economy” – i.e., overhaul the infrastructure of the American energy system toward carbon neutrality – has brought hemp’s industrial usefulness to the forefront of the public conversation. Despite the bullishness, fears about the oversupply present in the CBD industry have industry stakeholders asking whether the fiber segment will follow the same boom-and-bust cycle seen in the CBD industry?
The answer is almost certainly no'
https://newfrontierdata.com/cannabis-insights/oh-no-is-the-hemp-fiber-market-looking-to-be-cbd-2-0/
'The demand for alternative fibers and the sustainability problems with cotton create a gap to be filled. Industry, innovation and adaptability will be keys to the growth of the fiber industry.
As I attend seminars and follow the industry, what strikes me is that while everyone seems to talk about how to get hemp products ready for market, there is little discussion on how to go to market. These are two different aspects of any business.'
https://hemptoday.net/demand-for-sustainable-textiles-is-big-opportunity-for-hemp-fiber/
'An oft-repeated byword among hemp advocates posits that there are over 25,000 different products that can be manufactured from the crop. In actual practice, however, but a fractional amount of those remains in active production today. As has been detailed here before, the hemp fiber industry suffers from a crisis in infrastructure and critical gaps in its supply chains which are stifling product development and stymying growth. The good news is, those gaps are steadily being connected by a host of new fiber-processing companies. As a reliable domestic supply of hemp fiber emerges, the industry is faced with deciding exactly what to do with it, i.e., which product categories to establish first.
In quick summary of the growth prospects for some of the most promising hemp fiber product categories:'
https://newfrontierdata.com/cannabis-insights/which-hemp-fiber-product-categories-will-develop-first/
'The overriding gap in the supply chain exists for primary processing, which consists mainly of decortication. Decortication is a mechanical process which separates hemp stalks into fiber and hurd (i.e., the woody core of the plant). It is the most essential process in the entire supply chain, as it creates a steady supply of fiber and hurd which can then undergo further processing, for ultimate use in the manufacture of products.
Historically, North America has had a shortage of processing capacity signified by the lack of facilities capable of decorticating hemp fiber. The shortage had long been attributed to the chicken-and-egg problem – it made no sense to build a processing facility when there was little hemp being grown, while it made no sense to grow hemp without a factory to process it. Thanks to explosive increases in hemp acreage fueled by CBD, however, that is no longer the case. Now, more hemp is being grown than can be processed through existing infrastructure, creating a bottleneck.'
https://newfrontierdata.com/cannabis-insights/hemp-fibers-infrastructure-crisis/
'"Hemp takes very little water, as opposed to cotton, which takes a lot to grow. Hemp also doesn't really require pesticides, and is an easy thing to grow organically," Auman says. "On the work-wear end, hemp is the strongest natural fiber on the planet, and with work wear you want fibers to be as strong as they possibly can be."
As an early advocate of legal hemp farming, Colorado has a chance to attract more business from companies like Patagonia that are interested in transitioning toward industrial hemp and away from traditional textiles, plastics and other manufacturing materials, says Polis, who visited the Wright-Oaks farm earlier this year to see the hemp for himself.'
https://www.westword.com/marijuana/patagonia-colorado-farm-governor-polis-hemp-clothing-production-11845272
'Hemp has been continuously cultivated in Europe since the early Middle Ages, and was the traditional source of textiles and cordage on the continent up until its Industrial Revolution.
The 1793 invention of the cotton gin suddenly made cotton far and away the most competitive natural fiber in the world, and marked the start of hemp’s long commercial decline. After the outlawing of hemp in the United States, both the introduction of cheap synthetic fibers, and the agricultural turmoil from two world wars likewise drove a steady decline in European usage and acreage of the crop. By 1993, acreage for hemp fiber was just over 12,000 acres, of which nearly 95% was dedicated for specialty pulp and papermaking.'
https://newfrontierdata.com/cannabis-insights/lessons-for-the-u-s-hemp-fiber-industry-to-learn-from-europes/
'No global picture of hemp is complete without China, which is believed to be the world’s top hemp producer. Thousands of years before hemp-derived CBD became a hot commodity, China was cultivating the plant for fiber and seed production.
Like much of the world, China eventually banned hemp. But it didn’t take long for the country to resume its place in the hemp industry once the prohibition was lifted in 2010. The “industry has exploded and is set to grow even further,” noted a report about China released in February by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service.
According to the FAS report, China produces more than half the world’s hemp supply. Chinese hemp–fiber sales were estimated at $1.2 billion in 2018, although the government does not release official cultivation, production or sales data. '
https://hempindustrydaily.com/hemp-countries-to-watch-from-dominant-china-to-tiny-lithuania-more-nations-are-embracing-uses-for-the-plant/
'Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is urging Americans to wear face masks to prevent the spread of coronavirus—and he wants those coverings to be made of hemp.
During an event at the Kentucky-based hemp company Ecofibre on Monday, McConnell talked about the challenges the burgeoning market for the newly legal crop has faced, especially amid the pandemic, but he said it represents a viable commodity that is bolstering the economy.'
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/mitch-mcconnell-wants-americans-to-wear-hemp-face-masks-to-prevent-coronavirus-spread/
'Attentive shoppers walking through a Macy’s department store last winter might have spotted a rarity in the bedding department: hemp sheets, advertised as being 100% made from the plant’s fibers.
The sheets were a rarity because such textiles are “a brand-new category” in the market, according to Michael Twer, who founded Delilah Home, the Weddington, North Carolina-based company that makes the product.
Currently, 100% hemp textiles cannot be made in the United States because of a lack of equipment.'
https://hempindustrydaily.com/tough-fiber-hemp-making-slow-inroads-to-the-textile-market/
Wave 1 - Animal Bedding, Absorbents, Animal Litter, Mulch & Biochar, Wood Substitutes, Plastics Additives
Wave 2 - Paper & Pulp, Hempcrete, Particleboard, Nonwoven Geotextiles/Matting, Nonwoven Insulation, Fiberglass substitutes
Wave 3 - Industrial and Consumer Textiles, Bioplastics, Automotive Components, Cellulose, Supercapacitors
https://newfrontierdata.com/cannabis-insights/the-three-waves-of-hemp-fiber-production/
'Among the rural folk of the western hills of Bajura, Bajhang, Rolpa, Rukum and Darchula, hemp collection is an important pastime. Shepherds spin the fibre into thread while grazing their sheep and cattle.
Cannabis plants grow to a height of 20 ft. After harvesting them, villagers shred the leaves and soak the stems in water for up to 20 days. When they are tender the bark is separated from the rest of the plant, smoked above a fire and boiled in ash water. Thin strips are then removed from the bark by hand.
"The older generation used to have holes in their thumbnails through which they passed the strips of fibre and wove them to make thread," says Prem Dahal, proprietor of Hemp House. Dahal has been in the hemp business for over 19 years and is one of few who still use Nepali hemp for his products, even after the emergence of Chinese hemp in the market'
http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=879#.XxU3JxJS_IV
'Thamel trader Prem Dahal is acknowledged by his peers as the pioneer of the hemp trade. He was inspired to take it up 28 years ago after travelling with shepherds in western Nepal and finding that their hardy mattresses were woven from cannabis fibre.
“Hemp fabric is stronger, more absorbent and has better insulation against heat and cold than cotton,” Dahal explains. “Hemp is environmentally friendly.”
Given that half the pesticide sprayed worldwide is in cotton plantations, hemp is a nature-friendly alternative fabric. The plant also prevents soil erosion on mountain slopes because of its thick deep root system, and the fabric can be made into at least 100 types of products. '
https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/clothed-in-cannabis/
'Hemp is an attractive alternative to cotton due to its comparably low-resource cultivation. It takes about 2,600 gallons of water to produce 1 kilogram of cotton—or a pair of jeans and a shirt—compared to just 80 gallons to 130 gallons for the same amount of hemp.
According to a report by the Stockholm Environment Institute commissioned by the BioRegional Development Group and Worldwide Fund for Nature – Cymru, industrial hemp is “low maintenance.” Hemp also has a short grow cycle, about 110 days to cotton’s 150-day growing season. As there are more calls for organic agriculture, hemp also boasts the benefit of being naturally pest-free and therefore pesticide-free.'
https://sourcingjournal.com/denim/denim-mills/hemp-jeans-agi-denim-cottonized-fibers-205190/
'Though hemp-derived CBD is generating significant hemp sales, non-CBD hemp products still constitute a larger slice of the pie.
Most states have now developed state-licensed industrial hemp programs to produce not only hemp-derived CBD products but also fibers and textiles, paper, animal feed, and even human food using hemp.
In other words, hemp production expands far beyond topical creams. It impacts many other retail markets as well.
That’s why the general animus behind the U.S. hemp industry is so explosive – and exciting – for both entrepreneurs and investors.'
https://energyandresourcesdigest.com/bright-future-ahead-us-hemp-market/
'Hemp fans often tout the crop as a miracle plant. At the NoCo Hemp Expo in Loveland, Colorado, in April, speakers pumped up the crowd with talk of hemp-based plastic, clothing, concrete, houses and animal feed, among another 25,000 possible uses. But it could be years before any of these products are commercially viable in the U.S. There are still significant legal barriers, for one. At the federal level, hemp remains classified as a Schedule 1 controlled substance, alongside drugs like heroin. That means that banks can’t loan money to hemp-based businesses or hold money earned from growing or selling hemp products. Farmers also can’t get crop insurance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to cover potential losses to drought or disease.'
https://www.hcn.org/issues/50.16/politics-agriculture-republicans-tout-hemps-potential
'Every major hemp market has developed its own specialization. For China, that specialization is consumer textiles. Total global sales in the segment were $1.08 billion in 2018, with China accounting for $854 million of those sales.'
https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/19/03/13318268/6-things-you-didnt-know-about-hemp
- 'What exactly is hemp used for? The better question is what can't it be used for. Hemp is a durable material that can be fashioned into everything from food and beer to clothing to beauty products. Hemp can also be used to make plastic, an alternative biofuel, cars, and an estimated 25,000 other products.
- Is it difficult to grow? Nope, hemp is a farmer's best friend. It's good for the soil, helping to remove toxins. It grows well with little fertilizer, no pesticides, and less water than many other crops. It's also extremely dense, which means it takes less valuable farmland. It's relatively profitable (Canadian farmers are reporting $300 per/acre profits). And it grows fast—that's where the name weed came from.
- So I've heard it's good for combating climate change. Why's that? While not a silver bullet for climate, hemp is one of many possible agricultural solutions for a variety of reasons. Hemp actually absorbs more CO2 than trees, needs less water than plants like cotton, and can also be used to make a sustainable biofuel.'
https://www.sierraclub.org/articles/2019/01/whats-fuss-about-hemp
'According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 16 states allow industrial hemp production for commercial purposes. Industrial hemp fibers could be used for products ranging from building materials and textiles to cosmetics and health food, for example, through processes that reduce safety and environmental hazards.'
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinois-lawmakers-pass-bill-legalizing-industrial-hemp/
'For years, hemp has had a lousy reputation. Often confused with its cousin, marijuana, it's in fact a different variety of cannabis, with the main difference being a considerably lower THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) level. Michael Lewis and Rebecca Burgess know the difference. They know that the United States has a history with industrial hemp, from colonial times all the way to World War II, and that it can be used to make thousands of products, including textiles, health foods, and car parts. Could growing hemp revive an entire industry? This short documentary by Patagonia follows Lewis and Burgess as they collaborate to reintroduce industrial hemp to the U.S. landscape.'
https://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/short-film-showcase/turning-seeds-into-an-american-icon-a-history-of-hemp-in-the-us
'According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 16 states allow industrial hemp production for commercial purposes. Industrial hemp fibers could be used for products ranging from building materials and textiles to cosmetics and health food, for example, through processes that reduce safety and environmental hazards.'
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinois-lawmakers-pass-bill-legalizing-industrial-hemp/
'One of the biggest misconceptions is that all cannabis gets you high. This couldn't be further from the truth. Agricultural hemp is produced for textiles, CBD oil extracts, paper and a number of other uses. The plant most commonly used in the hemp industry is Cannabis Sativa, growing between 10 and 15 feet tall before harvesting. Industrial hemp plants also have little to no THC, meaning that they have no psychoactive properties. '
https://www.csindy.com/coloradosprings/agricultural-hemp-vs-marijuana-cultivation-techniques/Content?oid=13009424
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