“What is Hemp?” — a long-read article on ShiftC. It is a valuable piece that compiles important information. As a specialist in this field, I would like to provide supplementary notes on each section.
What is Hemp?
Simply put, it is a fiber material made from the Cannabis sativa plant (the raw material of hemp) that contains no psychoactive marijuana components. However, it is said that there are hundreds of varieties of Cannabis worldwide.
Although research is still ongoing and no definitive information exists, genetic-level studies suggest that the original species may have originated in southern Yunnan Province, or in Nepal and northern India. Its distribution has spread across the world, adapting to local lands and climates (naturalization), while people in each region selectively bred hemp varieties to support their livelihoods, leading to a great diversification of strains.
In general, hemp grown for industrial purposes is called “industrial hemp,” while in the fashion industry, the fibers and fabrics derived from the bast portion are segmented and referred to as “textile hemp.”
As for THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) content, Japan applies the threshold of less than 0.3%, which follows the global standard but is among the strictest. Thus, exceeding 0.3% (for example, 0.4%) does not automatically mean the plant is marijuana material. Rather, it reflects the adoption of the strictest cultivation management standards.
Why was it once prohibited?
Hemp has been closely tied to Japanese tradition, but I would like to emphasize that it is not unique to Japan. For example, in burial sites over 10,000 years old around the Black Sea region, traces of Cannabis sativa used for funeral rites have been found, with the practice believed to have spread eastward by nomadic horse-riding peoples. In areas from North Korea to Heilongjiang Province, hemp has long been a native crop, with records showing its use in funerary customs since the Goguryeo period. Even today, hemp cloth remains part of North Korean culture, with significant production still ongoing. Japan’s hemp cloth culture should be understood within this wider historical context.
The decline of hemp production is often linked to the Cannabis Control Act, but in fact, this coincided with the rise of synthetic fibers, which also caused the domestic linen industry to collapse. Hemp cloth declined for similar reasons, particularly because the process of extracting bast fibers could not be mechanized. Even today, this industrialization bottleneck — known in English as “decortication” — remains one of the greatest challenges to the hemp industry worldwide.
Health and beauty benefits? Hemp as a “sustainable material”
Hemp is now being rediscovered as a sustainable material, and product development is advancing across diverse industries. Some important industrial applications not mentioned in the article include:
・Material for 3D printer filaments
・Biomass fuel pellets for power generation
The former represents an alternative in the age of plastic reduction, while the latter provides a truly “sustainable woody material.” Current biomass power generation is said to rely on thinning wood, but tracing its origin is difficult, raising unresolved issues. Hemp pellets offer a more transparent and sustainable option.
How does hemp differ from linen or organic cotton? A thorough comparison with other popular natural fibers
Linen production is currently shrinking due to climate change and the impact of the war in Ukraine (a key flax-growing region). Winter-sown linen and new growing regions (such as revivals in Egypt) are being explored to meet global demand, but supply remains insufficient — a scalability problem for linen.
As for organic cotton, I am not in a position to speak in depth, but hemp cultivation clearly has overwhelming advantages: no pesticides, no irrigation facilities required, and enormous biomass yield (“a thousandfold from a single seed”). During its three-month growth cycle, Cannabis sativa absorbs 13.7 tons of CO2, comparable to tropical rainforest absorption. This makes hemp cultivation a mission tied to addressing the climate crisis.
This is why European governments have positioned hemp cultivation and the hemp industry as part of agricultural policy within the Green Deal, recognizing it as a key industry for the green transformation in response to the climate crisis.
Why are brands choosing hemp now? The future of fashion and hemp
Needless to say, hemp is organically grown, carries minimal environmental impact, and absorbs a tremendous amount of CO2. It also enriches soil and, by being pesticide-free, supports biodiversity as a cradle for small living creatures, helping to protect local ecosystems.
With the introduction of long-fiber hemp, comfort, softness, and tactile quality have reached a new level. Hemp also offers thermostat functionality for moisture retention and natural UV protection.
Our mission at weavearth is to widely deliver this material and provide genuine options for sustainable and regenerative fashion. We hope that our growth will support farmers cultivating Cannabis sativa and contribute to the still-developing hemp-based industries that require further investment.
(June 18, 2025 — Threads Summary)
