“Today’s hemp-based fabrics are nothing like eighteenth-century canvas sailcloth (canvas derives from the Latin cannabis). Hemp fiber, blended with everything from tencel to organic cotton, can be used to create textiles as different as terrycloth, flannel, and luxurious satin brocades. Hemp fiber offers greater durability than cotton, which accounts for 25 percent of the pesticides sprayed on the world’s crops. Hemp-based textile products on the market include apparel and accessories such as T-shirts, pants, dresses, baby clothes, bathrobes, and shoes; housewares such as blankets, shower curtains, and rugs; and sundries such as hammocks and pet supplies.”
– Hemp Industries Association, 2005; HIA.org
One of the best ways to protect the environment is to limit your clothing choices to those that are made of organically grown fiber. It has only been since the drilling of oil began on a major scale in the 1800s that fibers started to be developed from petroleum and coal. And those are the worst fibers of all as they are not sustainable, are not biodegradable, and are often treated with health-damaging chemicals that are absorbed into the skin of the wearer, as well as into the environment. The drilling and processing of petroleum is massively environmentally destructive.
Most cotton grown on the plant is also damaging to health and the environment because it is most often grown using large doses of defoliants, fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, and pesticides. Most cotton is also bleached during processing, which releases dioxin, a long-lasting toxic chemical. Altogether, the cotton industry releases hundreds of millions of pounds of toxic chemicals into the environment in the form of farming chemicals, chemical dyes, and finishing agents. When buying cotton fabrics, seek those made from cotton grown organically and that are dyed with natural coloring agents.
A safe clothing fiber is hemp. It produces more fiber per acre than cotton and does not require the use of the chemicals used in intensive cotton farming or processing.
Hemp clothing is currently costly in the U.S. because of the ridiculous laws that prevent U.S. farmers from growing hemp, so hemp fabric must be imported from other countries.
Not to be overlooked in the form of natural fabrics that are environmentally safe are those made from bamboo. It is growing in popularity.
http://www.AHappyPlanet.com
All Vegan, San Diego, CA; http://www.AllVeganShopping.com
http://www.AmericanApparel.net
Carries a line of organic cotton clothing.
http://www.ArtisanGear.com
Center for the New American Dream, http://www.NewDream.org
Information about sweatshop-free clothing.
Conscious Clothing; 505-982-7506; http://www.GetConscious.com
Creates hemp/tencel-blend wedding dresses.
Decent Exposures, 206-364-4540; http://www.DecentExposures.com
http://www.EarthCreations.net
http://www.EarthRunnings.com
Hemp furnishings and linens.
http://www.EarthSpeaks.com
http://www.Earth-Wear.com
The Emperor’s Clothes, http://www.EmperorsHemp.com
Hemp clothing made in Montana.
Evergreen Hemp Co., http://www.EverGreenHemp.com
http://www.FaeriesDance.com
http://www.GlobalHempStore.com
http://www.GreenPeople.org/OrganicCotton.htm
This Web site lists a slew of sources for organic cotton products.
Heartland Products, 515-332-3087; http://www.TRVNet.nets/~HrtLndp
http://www.HempBags.com
http://www.HempBelts.com
http://www.HempFabric.com
http://www.HempShoes.com
http://www.HempStores.com
Hemp Utopia, 22256 100th Ave., Langley, British Columbia, Canada, V1M 3V5; http://www.Canada-Shops.com/Stores/HempUtopia
Donates a portion of all sales to famine relief, hemp re-education, and environmental causes.
http://www.HempWallets.com
http://www.Hempys.com
http://www.HerbivoreClothing.com
International Hemp Fair, http://www.CannaTrade.CH
http://www.KasperOrganics.com
Kentucky Hemp Outfitters, http://www.KentuckyHemp.com
http://www.LoomState.org
Maggie’s Functional Organics, http://www.MaggiesOrganics.com
http://www.MamasEarth.com
http://www.MooShoes.com
http://www.NaturalHighLifestyle.com
http://www.OfTheEarth.com
Organic Avenue, New York, NY; http://www.OrganicAvenue.com
http://www.OrganicClothes.com
http://www.OrganicCottonAlts.com
http://www.OrganicCottonPlus.com
http://www.OrganicThreads.com
http://www.PlanetHemp.net
http://www.Rawganique.com
http://www.SaharaOrganics.com
http://www.SweatshopWatch.org
Information about sweatshops and issues relating to workers’ rights in clothing manufacturing.
http://www.SweetGrassFibers.com
http://www.TwoStarDog.com
http://www.UnderTheCanopy.com
http://www.UtopianLiving.com
http://www.VeganStore.com
http://www.Vegetarian-Shoes.co.uk
Vital Hemptations, http://www.VitalHemp.com
http://www.Vreseis.com
http://www.WildlifeWorks.com