"Hemp is the fabric of the future in fashion – and it's coming to the fore in the quest for sustainability."
When it comes to sustainability, hemp can truly be called the fabric of the future for the fashion industry. Here are some key points from the English article (2019), When It Comes to Sustainability, Hemp Is the Fabric of Fashion’s Future.
・The 2018 amendment to the US Farm Bill legalized the cultivation of "industrial hemp" in the US, opening the door to further industrialization.
・Legalization could have wide-reaching effects, as it gives farmers the chance to diversify their business with government subsidies.
・In the future, expanded hemp cultivation and its adoption in fashion may impact the US cotton industry.
・Cotton is a monoculture crop, repeatedly produced without crop rotation, which leads to soil degradation and infertility.
・Most cotton currently on the market is genetically modified. Research shows that the altered genomes, engineered to resist pests, remain in the soil after the plant matures, reducing biodiversity.
・Cotton production requires huge amounts of water—about 8,000 liters per kilogram—and accounts for 16% of the world’s insecticide use and 6% of pesticide use.
・By contrast, hemp production uses less than one-third of the water required for cotton while producing up to 220% more fiber. Hemp also needs little pesticide and naturally helps reduce water pollution and acidification of nearby soil.
・Hemp functions as a rotation crop: it breaks down toxins, absorbs CO2 to improve air quality, and restores soil health.
As such, at a time when the environmental impact of cotton cultivation and sustainability efforts are under scrutiny, hemp has the potential to open a new and innovative future for the fashion industry.
Commentary: Cotton cultivation and industry in the US have long dominated the global cotton market. This is deeply tied to US history—expropriation from Native Americans, slavery, and later emancipation. Cotton accounts for about 25% of the US domestic agricultural market, and historically, the cotton lobby has sent many politicians to Congress.
However, the heavy environmental burden of cotton cultivation has become widely recognized. For example, in a large cotton-producing region east of the Rocky Mountains, continuous pumping of underground water has used up about 60% of the reserves, according to one survey. Fears of depletion remain, but no reforms have been made.
Another characteristic of cotton is soil exhaustion due to monoculture. Historically, fields had to be relocated whenever the land was depleted—most often on land seized from Native Americans.
These details are described in sources such as Sven Beckert’s Empire of Cotton: How Global Capitalism Was Born. https://www.kinokuniya.co.jp/f/dsg-01-9784314011952
Against this backdrop, a “return of hemp cultivation” in the US would inevitably have a major impact. In fact, in the US, hemp is increasingly discussed as part of a new economy—from marijuana (high THC) to industrial hemp.
Yet, there are still many obstacles. To better understand the present, the article looks back at the past half-century of US industry and hemp agriculture.
To be continued in Part 2.
Note 1: The article states that "hemp production requires less than one-third the water required for cotton." In reality, hemp grows with only rainfall, requiring virtually zero additional water.
Note 2: The article states that "fiber production (biomass) increases by 220%," but some reports note increases of over 300%, depending on cultivation conditions.
Weavearth supports the clear legal distinction between marijuana (high THC) and industrial hemp, and promotes the cultivation of the latter (with THC content of 0.3% or less) for new agricultural and industrial uses.
