About Hemp
Flax has been on the decline as the world environmental conditions change however hemp, a cousin to flax also may be on the rise due to a number of reasons.
Hemp too is a natural plant fiber, and like flax it comes from the stem of a plant like flax. It appears very similar to flax and is as strong if not arguably stronger. Unlike flax which requires a specific growing environment, the hemp plant needs grows quickly producing a lot of fibers. It needs very little land, little water and few if any pesticides. For this reason it can grow in many parts of the world and makes a much smaller environmental impact. It also naturally fertilizes the soil it grows in.
Although the hemp fiber is coarser it produces a higher yield of long fibers then flax does. It's strength is greater, it's environmental footprint is smaller. Hemp is defiantly a natural fiber that is making a comeback.
Happy Sewing,
Burnley & Trowbridge Co.