The Plant With 50,000 Uses
Introduction
Cannabis, hemp, pot – are these all synonyms for the same plant? Also known as Cannabis sativa L., hemp is a tall, leafy green plant, with an herbaceous stem and palmate, serrated leaves. Each part of the plant has a use, from food products to construction materials to clothing. Indigenous to Central and South Asia, the first recorded use of hemp as a textile dates back to 4,000 years ago. Hemp is from the Cannabaceae family, a type of dioecious flowering herb native to Western Asia and the Indian subcontinent [1]. Its close relative, also classified as Cannabis sativa L., is most often found in dispensaries and at the height of many legal battles. However, hemp and marijuana are unfortunately frequently conflated as the same plant, despite having significantly different chemical and physical properties and separate historical uses. Hemp is a misunderstood, underutilized plant crop, and its textile use is an untapped source in American markets.
Mismatch: Hemp vs. Marijuana
A variety of hemp cultivars are currently grown all over the world for many different purposes, like food, fiber, or even soil remediation [2]. While discussing the plethora of historic and cultural uses of hemp, it is impossible to do so in a thorough manner without mentioning its infamous relative and doppelganger. Although commonly confused, hemp and marijuana are not replaceable terms for the same plant. For clarification, “hemp” (Cannabis sativa L.) will be used in this paper to describe the plant that by law contains less than 0.3% THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), a chemical compound found in the genus’ flowers that contains psychoactive properties [3]. This plant is traditionally made into fibers, food, and building materials. The term “marijuana” (Cannabis sativa L.) will be used to describe the plant that is traditionally consumed for a euphoric effect, with popular strains containing 20% or more THC [3]. These two are related like a Chihuahua (Canis lupus familiaris) is to a Great Dane (Canis lupus familiaris). Even visually, these two have apparent differences. As hemp is a fiber and building crop, it has been genetically bred over centuries to have a long, rigid, single stem with a leafy canopy at the top, appearing almost tree-like, reaching up to 6 meters, or 20 feet, tall [4]. This allows longer and stronger strands of fiber for later processing. Other genetic lines of the Cannabis genus tend to be a shorter, bushier crop with a focus on flower production, where desired CBD (cannabidiol) or THC compounds are found [4]. At no point in history have cannabis and hemp been grown for the same purpose– they have always been two separate plants with two different purposes.
Prior to 2018, hemp was roped into the definition of marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act [2]. This made it illegal to grow and sell any product made from hemp, regardless of its chemical makeup. But hemp has not always been illegal or even stigmatized in the United States. Hemp in the Americas has a history that goes back to the Colonial Period when it was mandatory for farmers along the Mid-Atlantic to grow a minimum quarter acre of hemp in their land parcel as a form of tax [5]. This was an important way for the British Empire to provide sails and rigging for its ships. Hemp fiber is best known for its use in rope and sails, two textiles that were instrumental in the expansion of trade and colonialism during the 16th-18th centuries [4]. The plant’s fast growth and durable fiber products made it popular in workwear, historically used to make both sailors’ clothes and the sails themselves. The United States government was supporting industrial hemp for fiber as late as 1942, when the Second World War caused trade disruption in the South East preventing countries like India and the Philippines from completing their shipment of hemp to the United States [5]. The USDA even produced a short film called Hemp for Victory! in 1942 to encourage and educate hemp production during the shortage. This hemp would be grown for its fiber, which in turn would be made into ropes to use as rigging on naval ships in the Pacific theater [6]. Today, industrial hemp fiber is on the upswing. In 2021, an estimated 5,136 hectares of hemp was harvested for the means of fiber production in the United States, with valuation estimates at $41.4 million [3].
The intense legal hurdles and social stigma around the hemp plant due to its association with marijuana have made the commercialization of any hemp product difficult. Legally, it is federally allowed, yet each state has the right to produce its own laws and regulations around growing hemp. Some states’ agricultural extension programs, like Oregon State University’s Global Hemp Innovation Center, help local farmers learn more about the crop and the growth, marketing, and sale of it. However, the government has not always been amenable to hemp for fiber growers. One infamous instance was the 2002 raid of the White Plume hemp farm, where US Drug Enforcement Administration agents entered Lakota land to confiscate and destroy the crop grown by a farmer (Alex Plume) on the reservation [7]. Plume later ended up losing the appeal, and lost the right to grow hemp on Lakota land [7]. Even with the current legalization of marijuana in some states, it may be difficult to find a manufacturer in America who can turn raw hemp stalks into fabric and other textiles. However, the hemp plant produces such a variety of useful products that at some point, it may be unavoidable to interact with this plant on a regular basis.
Hemp Textiles
The process of making textiles from hemp begins in the field. Hemp is harvested before the plant reaches full maturity, when the fibers are at their strongest [8]. The stalks are cut at the base and left to lay in the field, during a process known as retting [8]. Retting lasts from 2 to 3 weeks based on environmental factors like temperature and precipitation and allows microbes to break down the lignins (the polymer that provides rigidity to a hemp stalk) within the plant hull [8]. This makes the further processing of the fibers easier [8]. After this, the stalks are collected and brought to a manufacturing plant, where the woody bast and stringy fibers are separated and further processed into the many different products they are used for. The separation of fiber and bast in hemp is similar to the production of linen from flax: fibers that are separated are later spun into fine threads and woven into bolts of fabric on a loom [8]. This process is now heavily mechanized, but pre-industrial societies completed this multi-step process by hand for centuries.
Current consumer opinions about fashion sustainability and the ecological impacts of plastic-based fibers may mean some brands see a strong incentive to swap over to hemp textiles. Today, hemp fabric is not a common material used by hobby sewists. In fact, the three largest craft and hobby supply stores (Micheals, Joann Fabrics, and Hobby Lobby), have no listings for hemp fabric or hemp blends on their websites (internet search). This may not reflect current consumer interests, however, as sustainable fashion and fiber arts are becoming more popular and “trendy” with younger generations [11]. This may provide a stepping stone for hemp to be re-embraced as a main textile for fiber artists in the West. For fabric in particular, I suggest for sewists to view traditional hemp as a colleague to denim and other heavy-weight fabrics, especially in terms of durability. Hemp blend knits and jersey exist, and can be made into garments worn close to the skin. Differences in fiber length during production greatly influence the feeling of hemp fabric on the skin, and modern manufacturing is no longer only producing heavy, stiff fabrics that were used for sails in years past. Fiber length is very important when processing hemp, with manufacturers trying to maintain at least 24 inches of length by the time it reaches the processing facility [9]. For garments worn closer to the skin, hemp is usually blended with cotton or other softer plant fiber for texture and draping purposes, although it could be worn in its traditional woven state if desired. Fine threads of hemp are usually woven on a large loom to make rolls of fabric to cut from. Hemp can also be spun and plied into yarn, although goods made from hemp yarn are typically not worn close to the skin or made into garments.
Purchasing options for domestic sources include online merchants, like Etsy and eBay, that feature small businesses and local sellers that provide hemp fabric on a smaller scale. I also found buttons made from recycled hemp plastic on the Joann website, a craft and hobby chain store. These buttons were made by Dritz, a household brand of sewing notions, and are composed of 60% recycled hemp [10]. I found it surprisingly difficult to find textiles or plastics made from 100% hemp; while not necessary, it is commonly blended with other materials such as cotton and rayon. It's important to note that Dritz mass produces plastic buttons that are sold at craft chain stores across the country, and this use of hemp plastic buttons is not indicative of the company’s sustainability efforts or goals. My experience working with hemp was that it was a bit difficult (and expensive!) to source compared to most mass-produced cotton and cotton blend prints. Most hemp is produced in Russia, China, or India, where its foothold in textiles wasn’t hindered by legislation like it was in the United States [4].
At the end of my journey into the past of hemp, I emerged with a new garment made from a plant that has found itself at a point of controversy, despite its long-seated reign as a staple crop. As hemp gets reintroduced to the Western world, will it have a renaissance? Or will consumers overlook this ancient technology as they continue to embrace their failing plastic?
About the Author: J Capone
J is a class of 2024 Agricultural and Environmental Education major. They are passionate about intersectional issues in global environmental health, and plan to work in the non-profit sector doing educational work. Outside of school, J enjoys fiber arts and hanging out with cats.
Author's Note
I had an assignment to try a new plant product for my Ethnobotany class, PLS 141. Most people chose edible foods or teas, but I wanted to incorporate my experience as a fiber artist into my assignment. Hemp is an uncommon fabric choice in the United States, so I wanted to foray into this new-to-me fabric choice while learning more about its history and potential for sustainability. Hopefully, you’ll read this article and be more open to trying a new type of plant fiber or food in your life.
References
- USDA. (2023). Cannabis sativa L. USDA Plants Database. https://plants.usda.gov/home/classification/70749
- Sunoj Valiaparambil Sebastian, J., Dong, X., Trostle, C., Pham, H., Joshi, M. V., Jessup, R. W., Burow, M. D., & Provin, T. L. (2023). Hemp agronomy: Current advances, questions, challenges, and opportunities. Agronomy, 13(2), 475. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13020475
- Abernethy, A. (2019, July 25). Hemp Production and the 2018 Farm Bill—07/25/2019. FDA. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/congressional-testimony/hemp-production-and-2018-farm-bill-07252019
- Visković, J., Zheljazkov, V. D., Sikora, V., Noller, J., Latković, D., Ocamb, C. M., & Koren, A. (2023). Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) agronomy and utilization: A review. Agronomy, 13(3), 931. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13030931
- Patagonia (Director). (2021). Misunderstood | a brief history of hemp in the us. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xy3HFRj1GOM
- Hemp for victory—Usda full official 1942. (n.d.). Retrieved February 19, 2024, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIxFhYVv_Gk
- Addlesperger, E. (2015). Hemp. Journal of Agricultural & Food Information, 16(3), 196–202. https://doi.org/10.1080/10496505.2015.1050323
- Paridah, M. T., Ahmed, A. B., SaifulAzry, S. O. A., and Ahmed, Z. (2011). "Retting process of some bast plant fibers and its effect on fibre quality: A review," BioRes. 6(4), 5260-5281.
- North america’s largest hemp fiber processor! (2022). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRHUS_akHHI
- Dritz. (2023). Recycled Hemp Round Button, 20mm 3pcs. https://www.handicraft.com/collections/buttons-and-cover-buttons/products/dritzhempbtn203?variant=41689973260457
- Halperin, J. (2023, September 11). Fiber art is finally being taken seriously. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/11/t-magazine/fiber-art-textiles.html