HEMP

Cloth & Co’s 100% Hemp Collection has a luxurious hand feel much like a fine quality linen. To amplify the eco-friendly qualities of the collection, the fabric is dyed with natural dyes using locally foraged plant materials and minerals by renowned master dyer Kishor Bhai in central India. Like linen, hemp moves easily with the body, is breathable and easy to wear across different seasons. Hemp wrinkles less and softens quickly with each wash and wear. 

All of the garments are individually tailored by partner stitching unit in New Delhi, providing employment opportunities for young women survivors of trafficking who had experienced sexual exploitation and abuse and are now getting dignified work under supportive conditions, skills acquisition and a viable career pathway that allows her to rise as she develops professionally; in this way Cloth & Co. is able to help set her on a positive life trajectory.

What makes Hemp so sustainable for the environment?

“Considered to be one of the most environmentally friendly fabrics, hemp is naturally resistant to pests, requires relatively little water, and grows quickly. Hemp is a “sister plant,” meaning it replenishes the soil for the crops around it and is ideal for crop rotation. Hemp feels like a new linen, softening with each wash and wear”

The list is long but here are some top line reasons:

1. Hemp is a nutrient powerhouse, not only for us but also for the soil in which it grows. When growing hemp, it returns about 70% of its required nutrients back into the soil. 

2. Hemp can also be used for bioremediation, a process to restore soil from toxic pollution. Essentially, as a phytoremediator, hemp pulls the toxins out of the soil like a sponge. Farmers are starting to use hemp to restore their fields. 

3. As well as being a biodegradable fibre, hemp’s production requires less than a third of the water needed for cotton and yields 220% more fibre. The plant is naturally organic as it is pest resistant and grows without the need for harmful herbicides and pesticides. 

4. Hemp has low carbon emissions and is capable of capturing carbon emissions from the atmosphere, meaning it is considerably better for the environment than cotton.

Traceability - Where is Cloth & Co. Hemp Grown?

The hemp is grown and spun into yarn in Heilongjiang Province in black soil with perfect conditions for growing hemp without any pesticides or herbicides. China is currently the world’s leading producer of both textile-grade hemp fibre and of hemp yarn and textiles.

Previously, hemp processing in China was not necessarily environmentally friendly, however the hemp sourced by Cloth & Co. is carded, combed, ginned and spun in a state-of-the-art factory, established in 2019, creating the finest quality yarn that has low impact on the environment. The hemp yarn is sent to be woven in India by collaborative partners Bombay Hemp Co. accredited with independent accreditation from GOTS, OEKOTEX 1000, Intertek Total Quality Assurance UK.