Despite its long history and multiple uses, textile hemp has been the subject of a stigmatisation campaign that began in the United States in the 1940s and then spread almost worldwide. This phase of prohibition has caused industrial hemp production levels to fall in almost all countries, including Europe.

However, since the 1990s, there has been a gradual return of hemp, mainly due to its sustainability in cultivation and its beneficial properties. In fact, in recent years, hemp fibre has been the subject of renewed interest, which has led to the gradual liberalisation of its production in several countries, including Spain, which is holding all the cards to become, to all intents and purposes, one of the leading countries in this sector.

THE HISTORICAL ROOTS OF TEXTILE HEMP IN SPAIN

Textile hemp has had an important role in Spanish agro-productive history. Its fibre, long and resistant, was the protagonist in various sectors, reaching its peak between the 5th century BC and the 19th century. In fact, as hemp fiber is resistant to humidity, it was used in particular by the navy for the production of ropes, sails, bags and fabrics of various kinds.

In the 18th century, the use of textile hemp increased significantly, as, beyond the navy, clothing and bedding merchants also began to sell textile hemp . There are many reasons that explain the increase in demand for textile hemp products, but one of the main ones is certainly the demographic increase that characterized Spain in that period. In fact, even the national authorities responsible for the matter have encouraged the cultivation of hemp. However, the involvement of the authorities in textile hemp was not limited only to the production of fabric for marketing. The government's interest had to do with the creation of a policy carried out by Campomanes, an Asturian politician and economist. Its objective was to defend and encourage popular and dispersed industry as a complementary agricultural sector that would allow the farmer to self-supply raw materials without having to depend on traders who would only be responsible for selling the finished fabrics. This policy also led, in Spain, as in other European countries, to textile hemp becoming an economically important sector. Subsequently, in the 19th century, the production of hemp was then replaced by jute , only to then definitively enter into crisis with the entry into force of world prohibition . [1]

To fully understand the importance that hemp had in Spain during the 18th century, it is necessary to analyze its expansion in the different regions of the country.

Alto del perdon, Spain, Foto di Les Argonautes su Unsplash

Galicia

For centuries, Galicia was the area where the agricultural production of textile hemp reigned supreme, together with flax, a raw material that was then manipulated in factories in the area to produce clothes, sheets and accessories. This was the production model, named as Industria dispersa by Campomanes, that the Spanish government authorities wanted to extend over the whole country up to Catalonia. For this reason, the hemp plantations in the areas of Navia, Pravia, Catalonia, Epila, Borja,Castellon, Xaliva and Villena were essential.

On the other hand, in the rest of the Cantabrian area, including Asturias and the Basque Country, textile hemp production has never taken off, failing to reach the levels of cultivation achieved in Galicia, despite various incentives. The various incentive strategies put into practice in this region have been very interesting, despite the fact that these economic supports have not borne fruit. At the forefront was Don Ramon Xavier de Vial, a trader who promised to buy the green gold textile fibre from local producers to sell abroad. Also encouraging hemp production was the Count of Fernandez Island, who offered a prize of 300 reales to the best producer. Despite everything, these economic supports did not bear the desired fruit. A similar fate befell the Duero basin, where various economic societies offered attractive incentives to promote the cultivation of hemp and flax. All these intentions to encourage production eventually failed because the price of wheat had risen disproportionately, leading farmers to dedicate themselves to sowing this cereal for the superior economic gain that could be obtained. [1]

THE FERTILE SOILS OF SPAIN - ANDALUSIA

On the other hand, textile hemp found fertile ground in Andalusia, especially in fertile areas near rivers, such as the land in Granada, which became the most important textile hemp production area in the late 18th century. Fomenting this industry was the contract that the city of Granada signed with the Spanish Navy in 1721, which paid farmers in advance to secure the quantity of hemp needed to produce ropes and sails. This contract led to an increase in the area allocated to the cultivation of fibre hemp from 15,300 marjales (equivalent to about 800 hectares) to 70,700 marjales (equivalent to about 370 hectares) in 1794. However, even the golden age of textile hemp in the Granada area had entered a crisis in the early 1800s due to the inefficiency of the state monopoly. [1]

Another area where textile hemp found fertile ground was Aragon, especially during the last decades of the 18th century. A major impetus for this type of cultivation was Count Aranda, who dedicated himself to the creation of large hemp plantations on his land in Epila. [1]

Valencia

Hemp was also a particularly popular plant in the Valencia area. According to historical records, in the area of Plana, Orihuela and Valencia, 200,000 arrobas (equivalent to about 2,000 tonnes) were cultivated, production that was not only marketed in Spain, but also exported to America. Given the great interest shown by the farmers, there was no need to incentivise them with premiums. The only intervention made by the Economic Society of Valencia, aimed at supporting the development of hemp, had been to help with the acclimatisation of the new plants brought from China. Unfortunately, as in the areas previously presented, the production of textile hemp in the Valencian area declined from 1865 onwards due to the falling prices of the plant and the competence of jute. [1]

The vast amount of historical information that can be gleaned highlights the importance of textile hemp for Spain, which over the centuries has been able to make the most of its benefits to create clothing, bed linen and, above all, ropes and sails used by the navy. However, as has been the case in various countries around the world, the land allocated to this type of cultivation has slowly begun to diminish, only to be abandoned almost completely with the prohibitionist policy carried out mainly by the United States of America.

Silent expansion of hemp textile in Spain

The main producer of textile hemp in Europe is definitely France, which, according to the latest available data, cultivated 18,000 ha of industrial hemp in 2021, mainly for fibre and seed, followed by Estonia and Germany (6,000 ha respectively) [2]. Spain, on the other hand, had a production of 1,000 hectares.

Although this quantity, when compared to European production, is not significant, it is worth noting that, in recent years, Spain has been going through a period of silent expansion of industrial hemp production. In fact, it has managed to increase the total area devoted to this type of eco-friendly cultivation by 8 times compared to 2016. An advance that may seem slow, but which, considering the rather inflexible Spanish regulations on the subject, is indeed a very important step. Indeed, in Spain, the production of industrial hemp is supervised by the Spanish Agricultural Guarantee Fund (also abbreviated as FEGA). [3]

However, there are areas that are more suitable for the cultivation of this eco-sustainable plant. An important example, in this sense, is certainly the town of Piegalos where Cañama del Pas S.L was born, the first Cantabrian industrial hemp company that revitalized production in the area. Catalonia has also seen a significant increase in production, going from 6 to over 300 hectares in less than 5 years. [4]

In Galicia, however, the Celtic Hemp Deza company cultivates approximately 100 hectares of industrial hemp, which is then transformed by the Industrias Bio Hemp company. [5]

Even in the autonomous cities of Extremadura, Valencia and Castilla-La Mancha, industrial hemp production is reviving. In the Canary Islands, however, since 2018 there have also been some investments allocated by the European Community, aimed at financially supporting the cultivation of industrial hemp. [5]

CALLOSA DE SEGURA: CITY OF HEMP BETWEEN THE PAST AND THE PRESENT

Another location that must be mentioned concerns the city of Callosa de Segura, a location in Alicante, which is historically linked to the production of hemp and which received the title of City of Hemp because its community has been dedicated to the production for centuries of this natural fibre, becoming the main producer in the country today. [5]

It is precisely because of the intertwining of local history with hemp that the Hemp Work School was born in Callosa de Segura, a cultural offer in the area that was created with the aim of teaching people the whole process that is behind the processing of the fabric, starting from the cultivation up to the production of the yarn and ropes.

Also confirming the importance of this new rise of industrial hemp in Spain is the director of Agriculture Elisenda Guillaumes who explained to El Pais that, in recent years, consultations on the legal requirements for the cultivation of hemp have increased exponentially, clearly demonstrating the potential that this nascent industrial sector has in Spain. [5]

Hemp Textile in Spain: current situation

As many local manufacturing companies want to demonstrate to the national government, the local production of hemp for the textile sector has a lot to offer the country which in itself is a favorable terrain for the cultivation of this fibre, given its southern position, the right amount of light hours in addition to the adequate irrigation system. In fact, the cultivation of industrial hemp, but in particular that for the textile sector, has notable benefits from an environmental point of view.

BENEFICI NELLA COLTIVAZIONE DELLA CANAPA

Hemp is able to regenerate the soil thanks to its natural ability to absorb and retain heavy metals while, at the same time, it sets in motion a process of oxygenation of the earth. Furthermore, hemp is one of the most eco-sustainable crops that exist today because it does not require enormous water resources, like cotton, or the use of pesticides and herbicides that pollute the environment. This type of cultivation therefore becomes a response to climate change that particularly benefits Spain which would be able to make its contribution in the battle against greenhouse gases.

But it certainly doesn't end here because the production of textile hemp also offers benefits from an economic and social point of view. In fact, this type of cultivation allows us to start a process of agricultural diversification which helps to reactivate a national economy which has been suffering for years also thanks to the fact that the fiber obtained from hemp can be used to produce different types of products such as bags, shoes, ropes, t-shirts, pants and much more.

Finally, it is important to underline that the cultivation of hemp allows us to start a process of reactivating the local labor market. In fact, new jobs are created, not only in the agricultural sector, but also in related industries such as those dedicated to the processing, manufacturing and even trading of the textile products created. [6]

Cannabis Sativa L., Foto di Michael Fischer from Pexels

THE FIRST TEXTILE HEMP COMPANIES IN SPAIN

The opening of the national government to the cultivation of hemp has also created new opportunities for the textile sector. In particular, two companies listed below have a natural, ethical and eco-sustainable collection.

Hemp&Love

A brand that has decided that it is worth betting on hemp in the production of clothes is Hemp&Love , a project born from the desire to promote the recovery of hemp in Spain. From this shared dream of the founders Arnay and Joan-Marc, Hemp&Love was created, offering products of excellent quality and wearability while always respecting the dictates of ethical, conscious and sustainable production.

In its online store it is possible to buy t-shirts, bags, socks, caps, skirts, towels and backpacks, in short, complete clothing for those who want to dress with the utmost respect for the planet. Finally, to make its customers understand the importance of the development of the Spanish textile supply chain, for every purchase Hemp&Love undertakes to make its contribution by planting 2 square meters of hemp. [7]

HEMPER

Another great Spanish exponent that uses textile hemp for the production of clothes is Hemper , a project born with the aim of offering innovative and regenerative solutions using hemp as a sustainable and environmentally friendly raw material. Backpacks, bags and hats are the main products offered by Hemper. Textile hemp comes from Nepal, where it is worked manually by great master weavers. The colors and dyes used are all natural. [8]

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