Versatile, sustainable, thermoregulatory and highly durable, hemp as a textile material represents an incipient trend: clothing, curtains, tablecloths, kitchen towels, upholstery, towels, duvets, blankets… In Spain it has been linked to traditional cultivation.
«At least in the Alicante area, and more specifically in Callosa de Segura – explains Eduardo Fages, head of the Sustainability and Materials Technology Research Group at Aitex, a research and innovation center based in Alcoy – it was used to make ropes. , nets and braids, with the manufacture of espadrilles being one of the main markets. In the sixties, this industrial sector opted for the implementation of synthetic fibers, and the use of hemp fiber was drastically reduced. «Currently, the use that is being given to it in the textile sector and specifically in retail, is still far from other fibers. They are very specific applications and for brands that base their concept on this material,” warns Fages.
The resurrection of textile hemp in national territory is linked to the commitment to more sustainable and versatile materials. The benefits of its cultivation method favor the fight for the environment and open the possibilities for it to become alternative to other conventional fibers. Cotton, for example, does not stand up to comparison in aspects related to the impacts associated with cultivation, as Fages says: “The production of a kilo of cotton generates emissions of the order of 0.25 kilos of CO2 equivalent, which are the units that They are usually used when talking about environmental impact and, more specifically, the category of greenhouse gas emissions. But hemp has a negative result, it is a CO2 sink. The production of one kilo of hemp absorbs 0.73 kilos of CO2 equivalent.
The water footprint also presents notable differences. “The environmental impact associated with the use of water resources in the process of obtaining 1 kilogram of hemp fiber is 90% lower than that process for cotton fiber,” says the expert. In addition, it is a very regenerative plant that captures a lot of CO2 with its roots. Your root system removes weedswhich avoids the need for pesticides or fungicides. Another of its properties is the ability to absorb heavy metals and other toxic substances from the earth. That is why it is planted around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (Ukraine) in a desperate attempt to repair the environmental catastrophe caused in 1986.
Pepe Barguñó, co-founder (along with Miquel Castells) and creative director at Thinking MU, a company based in Barcelona, does not believe that hemp is still fashionable in the textile sector: «In our case we use it differentially, due to its properties. regenerative; We find it very powerful, in our collections we use it in garments that are usually made with linen.
The sustainable fashion brand includes in its Hemp collection, a range of garments made with hemp, such as shirts, skirts and t-shirts. Barguñó began to become familiar with hemp with his bioconstruction company Hemp Eco Systems, where he used this material for insulation. There he experimented with its properties at the level of humidity and temperature. This knowledge allowed the transfer to the textile field in 2012. “Our intention has always been for it to have a good design and be soft,” he says. «In our hemp collection, all garments have at least 55% of this material. We combine it with other fibers such as organic cotton or Tencel, depending on the volume, texture, softness in the drape of the fabrics we want and the different grammages and weights. Our fiber blends are suitable for both circular knitting and flat knitting,” he adds.
One of the Thinking MU garments made with this material
Among the properties of hemp, Barguñó highlights its function “as a thermoregulator, very high water absorption capacity and greater resistance than cotton (ten times more).” The catalog and characteristics vary depending on whether it is summer or winter, Barguñó clarifies: «There are many T-shirts (short and long sleeves), tops, which we make in circular knit, all in the same fabric, with a wide range of light clothing. “For when the cold arrives we make ‘fat’ t-shirts for men and women, different colors, and also pants and jackets.” Regarding the cost of textile production, he indicates that “it is higher than cotton or polyester.”
Greater demand
Fieito is a company located in Cerceda (La Coruña). For now they distribute the creations of the German brand Hempage through the online store and the Fieito.com marketplace, but it is on the horizon to start producing their own clothing. José Antonio Villa Díaz, its founder together with María Roade Comesaña, estimates “that there is an increase in demand for this type of fiber.” «Hemp is similar to linen or bamboo due to its antibacterial properties, but it is also very breathable. If it is mixed with organic cotton, you get that soft touch,” he points out.
The partners began marketing hemp clothing seven years ago: “Even then we fell in love with the shirts. Even though they are 100% hemp, the quality of the fabric is very noticeable. «We sell shirts, sweaters, pants, jackets, knitted hats, a little bit of everything. And sportswear, tights. We have large and very large sizes. Hemp fiber is very good for people who sweat a lot,” says Villa.
José Antonio Villa Díaz, one of the co-founders of Kleito, a company that distributes creations made with hemp.
The co-founder of Fieito is convinced that if there were an increase in production, Spain would be a good place: “We could be leaders.” Regarding the price, he emphasizes that it has a higher cost than organic cotton: «All our proposals are fair trade and certified. These traceability seals cause an increase in prices.
He also warns that it is not enough that the clothes have been made with hemp fiber, but that it is also important that the dyes do not contain toxins: “Everything has to be a closed circuit because it is of no use that we are selling sustainable fibers.” and in the end it is made with products that do not respect the skin or the environment.
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