Is hemp vegan and sustainable? These are questions every ethical consumer asks. Here is how buying hemp will impact you, the environment, animals and laborers.
Fabric, materials and textiles are things we consume often. If you’re like me, you do all the research you can to make sure you don’t hurt yourself, the planet, animals or others when shopping. As an ethical consumer myself, I am giving you all the info I’ve found on hemp.
You are going to learn all about hemp’s vegan and sustainability status. Additionally, the following info will include hemp advantages and disadvantages for your home, whether hemp is a natural fiber, biodegradable…or perhaps even destructive!
After learning if hemp is vegan and sustainable you will be able to make the best choices you can the next time you shop.
This post is all about learning if hemp is vegan and sustainable.
All About Hemp + It’s Impact On Animals, People, Planet
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Hemp advantages may include:
- strength, hemp is one of the most durable fabrics in the world
- long-lasting
- stronger than flax
- easily bleached
- increasing in demand and popularity
- uses include various clothing, bags, shoes, garments and better grades, carpets
- similar to linen in feel and breathability
- doesn’t trap heat like wool does, which can support the growth of bacteria
- a thermal fabric which keeps you cool in the summer and warm in the winter
Hemp disadvantages may include:
- inferior in quality compared to flax
- Natural Color: Vibrant Plant Dye Projects for Your Home and Wardrobe
- Create with Cork Fabric: Sew 17 Upscale Projects; Bags, Accessories & Home Decor
- Fibershed: Growing a Movement of Farmers, Fashion Activists, and Makers for a New Textile Economy
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We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Environment
Fiber source: natural, hemp is a plant-derived fiber from the stalk of the cannabis sativa plant
Biodegradable: yes, hemp is biodegradable fiber, made up of a large portion of silica (sand), it withstands the test of time but is ultimately able to biodegrade back into sand, since hemp is not processed excessively, it is highly biodegradable, breaking down in a short period of time
Destruction: low, traditional hemp processing requires very little water, 343 liters of water used to produce 1 kilogram of useful hemp fiber / 41 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of useful hemp fiber, hemp is renewable and completely recyclable material, hemp grows without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers, hemp roots can descend 3 feet or more into the ground, thereby anchoring and protecting soil from runoff, building and preserving topsoil and subsoil structures, hemp purifies soil by removing heavy metals from its composition, hemp is a carbon-negative material, it removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, hemp has the highest yield of natural fibers on Earth per hectare
Hemp is…
- Sustainable
Animals
Kills: none, hemp production does not require any animals to be killed
Harms: none, hemp production does not require any animals to be used
Indirectly kills or harms: none, hemp grows without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers so it does not impact ecosystems and wildlife
Hemp is…
- Vegan
- Wildlife friendly
Laborers
Health and safety: varies, overall, agriculture continues to be one of the most dangerous industries, farmworkers may be subject to dehydration, heat stroke, unprotected exposure to harmful, toxic chemicals and pesticides, unsafe machinery and clean drinking water may not always accessible
Living conditions: varies, laborers are often exploited, they may face tough working conditions including long hours in the sun and heat performing physically exhausting tasks, labor laws and rights may or may not be in place, even if worker protection exists, employer violations may go unreported, refugees and migrant workers are especially vulnerable to abuse and mistreatment, fearing consequences of job loss or deportation
Wages: varies, generally farmworkers earn meager wages, there are many cases of underpaid agricultural workers, wage theft and no overtime payment or benefits
Hemp…
- May involve worker exploitation, laborer issues, human rights concerns
What are some vegan fashion brands that use hemp?
Bleed, Groceries Apparel, Infantium Victoria, Luva Huva, Malibu Sandals, Mila.Vert, Natasha Tonic and WAMA Underwear are vegan fashion brands that use hemp.
hemp is durable.
For every 5 garments produced, the equivalent of 3 end up in a landfill or incinerated each year!
One reason for such wastefulness society’s ever growing desire to acquire. Fast fashion (creating low-priced items at high volumes) is problematic for a number of reasons and promotes the attitude that clothing is nearly disposable.
But another component of such a quick turnaround on clothing is because it’s just not lasting long enough. Snags, stains, warping and shrinkage render items unusable and unacceptable for the donation pile. Avoid such problems by buying better quality, more durable, long lasting materials. Timeless wardrobe favorites that last for years and years are more sustainable and reduce the need for replacements.
Every second, the equivalent of one garbage truck full of textiles burns or goes to landfills…
Keep minimalism in mind and buy less, borrow and buy items second hand. Thrift shops offer many inexpensive, unique finds that have already proven to stand the test of time!
hemp is sustainable.
Animal materials are a natural fiber and biodegradable unless heavily treated with chemicals. However, they are not at all eco-friendly or sustainable due to the overwhelming strain on natural resources; the water needed, food needed and land usage that must happen for such abundant amounts of animals to live.
Animal agriculture is not good for the environment, human health and of course, the animals themselves. Thus, animal derived, non-vegan materials are not only cruel and inhumane but environmentally unsustainable.
That’s not to say that all vegan materials are sustainable. There are many vegan yet unsustainable fabrics, materials and textiles. Most of us don’t realize that washing one synthetic garment releases about 2,000 plastic microfibers which then enter the ocean and food chain…or that 30% of rayon and viscose used in fashion comes from endangered and ancient forests. So because a fabric is vegan it does not necessarily mean that it is sustainable, eco-friendly and so on.
Natural fibers like cotton are actually really harmful IF they are not organic. How? Cotton seeds are often GMOs that require pesticides, which are extremely toxic! In fact, up to 16% of the world’s pesticides go to non-organic, GMO cotton farming every year. The chemicals degrade soil and pollute water as well as poison cotton pickers.
Wow! …So it’s time to start using sustainable fabrics, materials and textiles.
Vegan and sustainable fashion near you is easier than ever with this: Vegan Clothing Brands Per Country List
hemp is vegan.
Cows, sheep, alpacas, goats, ducks and foxes are animals commonly subject to exploitation for their skins, hair or feathers. In fact, BILLIONS of them die every single year simply in the name of fashion.
Before buying a pair of shoes, a sweater, a purse, check the materials. Common and unfortunately popular animal-derived materials include:
These materials often come from places like India and China where there can be NO animal welfare laws or enforcement. If the item does come from a more developed area of the world, such as the United States or Europe, that animal was likely a victim of factory farming. In such overcrowded farms there is confinement, disease and animals sometimes live their entire lives indoors, never seeing the light of day.
Material from animals may involve slaughtering like leather and fur production, for instance. In regards to wool or feathers, animals struggle while workers hold them down and beat them in order to shear their coat or rip feathers from skin. This leaves them bloody and wounded in pain.
Dressing and decorating vegan is easier than ever with this: Vegan Fabrics, Materials and Textiles List
hemp is a material that may or may not have labor issues.
Did you know that the single largest employer in the world is agriculture? Whether agriculture involves crops or animals, the labor behind each and every product made from cotton, leather, wool, etc. cannot go unrecognized.
Sadly, many labor concerns exist around the world in both developed and developing countries. We must be vigilant to ensure what we buy is not contributing to industries that are unfair to their valuable workers.
Some known problems include workplace health and safety, sweatshops and child labor, gender inequality, inadequate pay, wage theft and exploitation. Workers can even experience harassment, humiliation and violence. Unfair employers often fail to provide laborers with access to shade, drinking water, restrooms and breaks. Consequently, laborers can face nausea, dizziness, heat exhaustion, dehydration and heat stroke -the leading cause of farmworker death!
Such mistreatment is like modern day slavery. Workers are often afraid to report issues because they fear it will result in losing their jobs or deportation.
Fair trade organizations fight to ensure better social, environmental and economic standards.
We can improve people’s lives simply by being mindful to buy items that are certified fair trade.
Sources:
Sew Guide: Fabric glossary
Textile School: Textile fabric types
The Spruce: Types of fabric A to Z: What are you wearing?
10 Sustainable Vegan Fabrics: The Future of the Textile Industry
Wool Is So Yesterday: Why Natural Vegan Fabrics Are Taking Over
EDGE Fast Fact | Non-Biodegradable Clothes Take 20 to 200 Years to Biodegrade
Grandview Research: Synthetic Leather Market Worth $40.9 Billion By 2027 | CAGR: 4.4%
