Reports and analyses project that the rapidly growing US hemp sector will be worth $13.3 billion by 2026. As with CBD products, hemp appears poised to have a major impact on sustainable clothing. Denim giant Levi Strauss & Co.'s recent progress offers an example.
The American clothing company, known worldwide for jeans, has found a way to make fibers containing 69% cotton and 31% hemp feel as soft as cotton. It calls the innovation “cottonized hemp” and aims to make clothing entirely from the material by 2025.
Hemp produces twice as much fiber as cotton and requires much less water and chemicals. It also grows quickly and cleans the soil, making it a more sustainable product.
Hemp is always a positive for companies seeking to impress customers with sustainability, especially amid climate change. By adding this innovation to its textile catalog, Levi Strauss demonstrates its place among environmentally friendly companies.
Levi's had long sought an alternative raw material to cotton, which is increasingly difficult to grow. The technology emerged unexpectedly at a time when industrial hemp is legal in many countries. Although Levi's has not named its partners in the discovery, it expects a marketable version of the clothing within three years.
While planning the first release within three years, company researchers will continue looking for ways to raise the blend's hemp content. The ultimate goal is clothing made from 100% hemp fiber. The company says it hopes to market “100% hemp clothing that feels like cotton” within five years.
