The wonderful combination of hemp and organic cotton has become one of our favourite fabrics. In 2010 we started working with a supplier based in Qingdao in northern China where the hemp plant has been cultivated for many centuries. Working closely with this supplier we have developed a wide range of fabrics that combine hemp with organic cotton. These fabrics are now a central part of every Poetry collection and have gained a loyal following among our customers. Last year, fabrics made of hemp and organic cotton accounted for around 20% of all the fibre used to make our clothes.
HEMP AND
ORGANIC
COTTON
The wonderful combination of hemp and organic cotton has become one of our favourite fabrics.
In 2010 we started working with a supplier based in Qingdao in northern China where the hemp plant has been cultivated for many centuries. Working closely with this supplier we have developed a wide range of fabrics that combine hemp with organic cotton. These fabrics are now a central part of every Poetry collection and have gained a loyal following among our customers. Last year, fabrics made of hemp and organic cotton accounted for around 20% of all the fibre used to make our clothes.
Hemp is a naturally strong fibre and combining it with cotton creates a fabric that feels immediately softer. Over time, as the garment is washed, the hemp fibre softens and the fabric improves. We have used the hemp and organic cotton yarn to make a wide range of fabrics. Initially we used it to make jersey fabric, which in turn we used to make T-shirts. In recent seasons we have explored other uses for the yarn, developing indigo-dyed woven fabrics and, more recently, woven corduroy. The strength of the fabric makes it suitable for garment dyeing, which gives the designs a laundered, more casual appearance.
In 2010 we started working with a supplier based in Qingdao in northern China where the hemp plant has been cultivated for many centuries. Working closely with this supplier we have developed a wide range of fabrics that combine hemp with organic cotton. These fabrics are now a central part of every Poetry collection and have gained a loyal following among our customers. Last year, fabrics made of hemp and organic cotton accounted for around 20% of all the fibre used to make our clothes.
Hemp is a naturally strong fibre and combining it with cotton creates a fabric that feels immediately softer. Over time, as the garment is washed, the hemp fibre softens and the fabric improves. We have used the hemp and organic cotton yarn to make a wide range of fabrics. Initially we used it to make jersey fabric, which in turn we used to make T-shirts. In recent seasons we have explored other uses for the yarn, developing indigo-dyed woven fabrics and, more recently, woven corduroy. The strength of the fabric makes it suitable for garment dyeing, which gives the designs a laundered, more casual appearance.
Hemp's environmental credentials
Hemp is one of the most sustainable all-natural threads. It grows quickly and is naturally resistant to many pests so it can be grown without the use of pesticides and herbicides. It requires minimal irrigation. It absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere and regenerates the earth’s soil. And the resultant fibre is incredibly strong so hemp clothing can last for many seasons.
All the cotton which we combine with hemp is Organic Cotton Standard (OCS) certified by the Textile Exchange. The OCS certification ensures that our cotton grows solely in organic farms that take care of the soil, ecosystem, and people involved in its production.
Hemp is one of the most sustainable all-natural threads. It grows quickly and is naturally resistant to many pests so it can be grown without the use of pesticides and herbicides. It requires minimal irrigation. It absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere and regenerates the earth’s soil. And the resultant fibre is incredibly strong so hemp clothing can last for many seasons.
All the cotton which we combine with hemp is Organic Cotton Standard (OCS) certified by the Textile Exchange. The OCS certification ensures that our cotton grows solely in organic farms that take care of the soil, ecosystem, and people involved in its production.
| “Hemp is one of the most naturally sustainable threads” |
Yak for added warmth and luxury
We have added a touch of yak wool to some of our hemp and organic cotton corduroy to make it softer and warmer. The yak is a large, long-haired, long-horned bovine, whose wool has been used for over a thousand years in particular parts of Asia and Mongolia to make luxurious textiles. Soft and fine, its warmth and exotic nature make it an excellent alternative to cashmere. Found at high altitudes, foraging on scrub rather than grazing, the yak is a minimal land-use animal and thus its diet doesn’t contribute to deforestation.
We have added a touch of yak wool to some of our hemp and organic cotton corduroy to make it softer and warmer. The yak is a large, long-haired, long-horned bovine, whose wool has been used for over a thousand years in particular parts of Asia and Mongolia to make luxurious textiles. Soft and fine, its warmth and exotic nature make it an excellent alternative to cashmere. Found at high altitudes, foraging on scrub rather than grazing, the yak is a minimal land-use animal and thus its diet doesn’t contribute to deforestation.
Hemp and marijuana what’s the difference?
Hemp plants and marijuana plants are both the same plant species. The difference between the two is how much THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) the plant contains. THC is the chemical primarily responsible for the “high” associated with cannabis. Legally, hemp is defined as a plant that contains 0.3% or less THC, while marijuana is a cannabis plant that contains more than 0.3% THC.
Hemp plants and marijuana plants are both the same plant species. The difference between the two is how much THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) the plant contains. THC is the chemical primarily responsible for the “high” associated with cannabis. Legally, hemp is defined as a plant that contains 0.3% or less THC, while marijuana is a cannabis plant that contains more than 0.3% THC.
