Hemp-Style

In Europe, the textile industry is the 4th most polluting sector in the world, after food, housing and mobility. Our clothing therefore has a major impact on our environment and we can no longer help but wonder where the fabrics of our clothes come from and how they are produced. In fact, nowadays, talking about raw materials, especially in the field of fashion, has become fundamental, even in the general public. If until recently, most ordinary people did not pay much attention to these details, now the choice of materials has become a topic of conversation, if not a real and unique criterion of choice. This change has also been massively influenced by the great green revolution of ecology in a positive way, but also by greenwashing.

This is why, in recent years, there has been a great increase in the quantity and quality of raw materials, from an eco-sustainable point of view. Thanks to the contribution of scientific research and popularisation, we know in fact that all artificial and synthetic fabrics, which have been in vogue until now among the large fast fashion chains, are mainly composed of petroleum, which with the passage of time release microplastics, harmful both to our skin and to our environment (since during washing, some of them end up in water cycles).

Fortunately, nowadays we have a wide choice of much more sustainable materials to choose from: from organic cotton to vegan silk, through linen and nettle to the famous textile hemp. Each of these fabrics has numerous advantages, both during the production of the garments and over the years with their use and consumption. But which of these amazing options for sustainable fashion is the best?

Sustainable fabrics: discovering a new, greener world

The green revolution has led to the rediscovery of all sustainable fabrics, which were already widely used in sustainable fashion niches, especially for the wider public that is less informed about them. In recent years, it has become easier to buy and use garments made from this type of material, and even the big fashion houses, including low-cost ones, have introduced several garments made from sustainable or otherwise recyclable and recycled materials into their collections. The most in vogue, but also most eco-friendly fabrics, which I will tell you about in this article are the following:

- Textile hemp

- Vegan silk

- Organic cotton

- Linen

- Nettle

- Eucalyptus

These and many others are the fabrics that are part of this large family of green fashion. They have become the ideal substitutes for all those fabrics, usually used by the best-known fast fashion chains, which are, however, produced artificially, with opaque methods and above all, harmful to the environment. In spite of the great benefits that these natural fabrics bring to the environment, they are fabrics like any other: this means that they have merits and demerits, strengths that can help raise the quality of garments and more complicated elements that need more care to be managed. Each of them, however, has its own use, which may suit a particular type of garment or use[1].

Hemp: pros and cons of an ancient and valuable fabric

Hemp is an ancient and valuable fabric that accompanied homo sapiens in their development and in the discovery even of new continents. In fact, ships' sails were made of hemp, as they were resistant to the water and abrasion created by it (we have discussed this here).

After a long period of prohibition, hemp is making a comeback, both for its 'silky' feel and above all for its eco-sustainability. Hemp fabric is very durable and versatile, but also has many other benefits, such as:

- It consumes few primary resources for cultivation - it requires very little water and soil, and has a much higher yield per hectare of green matter than other crops. In addition, hemp is a natural pest control plant, so no harmful chemicals need to be used to keep insects away.

- Super durable - hemp sativa fabric is very durable, thanks to the strength of its fibres. As a result, a hemp shirt will last you for a very long time, remaining immaculate. Washing is also sustainable, as clothes made of hemp fabric do not require thick washing and when washed with water, washing at a low temperature and with little detergent is sufficient.

- Healthy textile - Hemp textile has so many beneficial aspects for our bodies! It is hypoallergenic, breathable against odours and sweat, and wards off bedbugs, mites, and many other external pathogens.

Similarly, there may be some features of this fabric that are a little difficult to handle, namely:

- Rough, but soft over time - Due to the structure of the fibres and the weave of the fabric itself, textile hemp may be less soft and fluffy, especially in the early days, than many other fabrics. Despite this, it is only a matter of time! After a while, the fabric begins to loosen and becomes very soft.

- Difficult to dye - Again because of the strength of its fibres, it is somewhat difficult to dye with artificial colours and dyes, as the colour cannot reach the bottom of the fabric, so that the fabric is dyed all the way through. This, however, does not compromise the quality of the fabric.

Non-violent silk and vegan silk: animal friendly alternatives

Silk, it is known, is the softest and most precious fabric par excellence. But few know that silk production is not so 'soft' for the larvae of the particular butterfly species, the Bombyxmori [2].

In fact, in order to make the silk lighter and softer, thus blocking its further transformation into butterfly that could compromise the quality of the silk, the worms are immersed (still alive) in boiling water.

In fact, in order not to compromise the quality of the fabric, the worms are immersed (still alive) in boiling water, thus not allowing the caterpillars to complete their evolutionary process by becoming butterflies. This procedure is necessary in order not to compromise the length of the threads and thus de facto their final quality.

A production technique that is becoming increasingly popular is non-violent silk (peace silk), i.e. a silk for which the caterpillar is allowed to finish its life cycle [3].

Another type of silk is so-called vegan silk (vegan silk), i.e. a silk that is produced using, as the name implies, exclusively natural products, without harming animals, such as pine and eucalyptus wood pulp [4]. Among its advantages are:

- Non-violent - As can be understood from the name, this silk is obtained not by using and exploiting animals, in this case silkworms, but only natural elements. In this way, we could create a new and beautiful fabric without having the lives of so many small animals on our conscience [5].

- Very light and healthy - silk, although vegan, retains its wonderful wonders! For example, silk is an extremely soft fabric, so much so that it is used for garments for people with sensitive and extremely irritable skin.

At the same time, vegan silk is not perfect either: in fact,

- Difficult to wash - unlike many other fabrics and garments, vegan silk garments are very delicate and cannot be machine washed like any other. For these clothes, it is advisable to wash them by hand very carefully, using suitable detergents that are not too aggressive [6].

Organic cotton: the environmentally sustainable alternative

Finally, even cotton has its own more environmentally friendly alternative: in fact, many producers are trying to grow organic cotton, following strict rules and standards that protect both the fertility of the soil and the amount of bleaching solvents. This is good news because it has many positive sides.

- Comfort - Cotton is an extremely comfortable and soft fabric to use, which will not irritate your skin, but rather give you a lot of comfort.

- Easy to handle - It is very similar in characteristics to its standard equivalent and, for this reason, is easy to use both as a raw material, in the production of a garment, and in storage as an end product (in terms of care and washing)

However, even the organic version hides flaws in itself, such as

- Raw materials - Despite efforts to cultivate a more organic type of cotton, it remains the type of plant that requires a large amount of water, soil and other raw materials [7].Furthermore, the presence of organic (or indeed certified organic) cotton has become so high, that it is no longer credible.

Linen: the ecological material par excellence

Linen can be regarded as one of the oldest and most widespread fabrics, ever since the times of the ancient Greeks. Moreover, linen also carries another great title: it is a completely sustainable material. There are so many beneficial characteristics of linen

- Durable - Linen also bears the reputation of being a very durable fabric that can be used for many years, in many different situations, without being ruined

- Healthy for the body - Like many other organic fabrics, linen has qualities that can make our bodies healthier: for example, it is thermoregulating and hypoallergenic. In this way, a simple linen shirt will keep you cool and out of harm's way.

At the same time, however, attention must be paid to certain details of the linen

- Messy effect - Unfortunately, one of the flaws of linen is that it is very difficult to keep tidy. In fact, it is a fabric that can create creases very easily and this can be a bit tedious, especially in more formal situations [8].

Nettle: the ecological fabric of the moment

Nettle is a much sought-after and much-loved fabric of late, and it is certainly not by chance: in fact, nettle is a 100% natural and biodegradable plant that has many merits, which can be used to one's advantage, in the creation of clothes

- Suitable for our skin - Nettle, as well as other eco-friendly textiles, is a plant fibre with many qualities that make it optimal for our skin. Thanks to the stinging properties of the plant, it is hypoallergenic and extremely resistant to bacteria. It also possesses antistatic properties.

- The best of both worlds - With this fabric, you get both the strength of the plant, which leads to the creation of a strong and hardly breakable fabric, and the great softness and malleability usually found in fabrics such as cotton and linen [9].

Despite this, the nettle also presents some difficulties

- Difficult to cultivate - Unfortunately, nettle requires very difficult climatic and soil conditions, especially in Italy. In particular, the summer drought that we can find in many parts of middle and eastern Italy worsens the growth of nettle plants [10].

Eucalyptus: an artificial fabric but more sustainable than others

A natural fabric that is, however, artificial in its production, but with a low environmental impact compared to classic synthetic fabrics derived from petroleum.

One of the best discoveries in recent years is the eucalyptus fabric, sold under the name Tencel Lyocell Eucalyptus [11]. Despite not being 100% natural fabric, eucalyptus proved to be extremely important for the creation of textiles, as:

- Practical for sensitive skin - eucalyptus fabric proves to be the most useful for those with sensitive skin: it is hypoallergenic, soft and breathable, optimal for those suffering from eczema, allergic rhinitis or asthma.

- Wear it and go - these fabrics are very practical and require very little care: they are very easy to wash and do not wrinkle, even after a long time.

It all sounds too good to be true: what are the shortcomings of eucalyptus fabric?

- High cost - Unfortunately, the creation of these fabrics is still being tested and perfected. This means that producing these types of fabrics can still be very expensive. [12]

There are so many different varieties and characteristics that all lump together eco-friendly fabrics. All of them are in great demand not only because they are very eco-friendly in terms of production and raw material consumption, but also because they can have so many other positive aspects for the garment itself. One of these, textile hemp, has the best qualities that can be achieved with a high quality eco-friendly garment: it is produced with a minimum of raw material consumption, it is durable yet high quality. In addition, it will protect your skin from external agents, but without being heavy or unbreathable.

Thanks to the latest discoveries and updates in fashion and technology in this new world, it is much easier and especially accessible to follow a more eco-friendly style. Indeed, nowadays it is easier to produce and buy clothes, made from one of these fabrics, so that we can help the wheels of the green revolution and contribute to leaving our planet intact. In fact, we now have so many options of fabrics, brands and models to choose from that it is almost impossible not to come across them day after day! Consequently, we don't have to make a huge effort to start making some wiser choices regarding our clothing and rely on the world of slow fashion and eco-friendly fashion.

The choice is becoming more and more simple, among the many fabrics that are available on the market, each suited to the preferences or needs of any individual. It is up to you to discover, only after many trials, which one is the most suitable for you and your health.