The Leaf THE LEAF Sept-Oct 2018 | Page 19

With the ease of the cotton gin and prohibition of cannabis in 1937, Hemp became a forgotten textile. This is unfortunate because it’s clear that Hemp is superior to cotton. Currently, our number one source for fabric is the lesser. Here are 6 reasons why Hemp is better than cotton: • On average, one acre of Hemp can produce two to three times more fibre than an acre of cotton. • Hemp detoxifies the soil by removing harmful chemicals and pollutants and enriches the soil with nitrogen and oxygen. Cotton takes a tremendous toll on the soil. • Nearly 10% of all agricultural chemicals and 25% of insecticides come from the cotton industry, which ends up in the soil, rivers, and streams. Hemp can be grown with much less chemicals, or many times, none at all. • Hemp needs one-third of the water that cotton needs. • Hemp is three to eight times stronger than cotton (depending on how it is processed). The textile products will last longer. • Hemp textile: breathes very well, moisture absorbent, UV protect-ant, and anti-bacterial.