The textile hemp sector is experiencing a new renaissance, driven in part by the need for a greater choice of clothing made of hemp fabric. Miles Lazar, from Chicago, decided to fill a gap in the market and created a special textile hemp sweatshirt, even more sustainable thanks to innovative 9fibre fabric.

HSM: How did the idea of making a hemp sweatshirt come about?

A: In high school I took an economics class, where we had the opportunity to work on the idea of the incubator and I was inspired by my everyday problems. I am from Chicago and it is very cold in the morning, so a jacket is necessary. But I am not a fan of jackets, I prefer to wear a hoodie, ideally for the whole day, so I came up with the idea of creating the best hoodie in the world. I started looking for specific, natural materials and that is how, in 2014, I discovered hemp fabric and its properties. In particular, the durability and sustainability of hemp fabric were the main benefits I was looking for. My passion for hemp fabric turned out to be a viable option to pursue, which I made possible with my Entrepreneurship College (started in 2019). So, over the past three years, I developed the perfect sweatshirt, but I also had to deal with building a company, taxes and other bureaucratic issues.

HSM: What about the brand name? Does it have a particular meaning?

A: Yes, the brand name comes from two words: aire and tage. 'Aire' is a suffix, indicating the person characterised by a label, and by buying hemp products one is definitely oriented towards the future and sustainability; whereas 'tage' comes from the word 'legacy', and is the legacy of hemp fabric, which existed before and which we intentionally banned in the 1940s.

HSM: What is the brand idea behind 'Airetage'?

A: The long-term goal is to develop a complete collection and clothing line of hemp products. I started with hoodies, because I see great potential and there are not many popular brands offering hemp clothing yet, but given the properties of hemp fabric, it fits very well with sports products. However, product development requires extra funds, which I am still looking for.

HSM: Can you tell me more about the fabric you use for your hoodie?

A: Regarding the fabric, I have a partnership with 9fiber, a US company that has developed a hemp fibre from hemp agricultural waste. With their specialised Chinese manufacturer, they mixed this fabric with hemp and cotton, so the final fabric is 45% hemp, 45% organic cotton and 10% 9fiber.

HSM: What about the coloring? Is it natural?

A: Yes, we used natural colours and water-based dyes to maintain the sustainable look of the sweatshirt. For this first hoodie, we only used one classic colour, black, with the logo detail embroidered in gold. However, even with these natural colours you can wash the sweatshirt regularly, no pilling of the fabric occurs as with other sportswear, and the sweatshirt becomes softer after each wash. It can also be tumble-dried without any problems.

HSM: Besides the sustainable fabric, what other important aspects does your hoodie have?

A: The hoodie is very flowing, loose and comfortable, so you can wear it on any occasion. There are also small metal hoops to give it a more classy feel and avoid the classic hippy look that many people associate with hemp clothing. My aim is to legitimise hemp as a normal sports wardrobe and as a viable option for street and urban wear.

HSM: Where can you buy the sweatshirt?

A: Airetage was launched on 22 April 2023, on Earth Day, so for now there is an online shop, but in the future I would like to open physical shops and potentially have retailers as well.

HSM: Any anticipations on future projects?

A: The plan is to add more colours, such as red and green, and then expand the collection to trousers, T-shirts and socks. Ideally, the new collection should be ready by spring 2023. I am also always in touch with the growing hemp industry in Chicago and am looking for people who can join me and help the hemp revolution.

HSM: Sounds like a well-defined path for the future! Best wishes for your adventure Miles!

Photo: Copyright Airetage

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