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Cotton has long been the most widely used natural fiber for clothing and textiles in India. However, growing awareness of the harmful environmental impacts of cotton has led to increased interest in hemp as a sustainable alternative.Â
Is hemp better than cotton when it comes to sustainability? Here are 5 key reasons why hemp has distinct ecological benefits over conventional cotton production:
Cotton uses over 20,000 liters of water to produce just 1 kg of fabric. Hemp uses about 80% less water than cotton to cultivate and process into organic hemp clothes and other textiles. With water scarcity intensifying in India, hemp's lower irrigation requirements make it a more viable crop.
Hemp fabrics like organic hemp clothes can be made without using pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers that are intensively used in cotton farming. This makes hemp safer for farmers, consumers, and ecosystems.
As it grows, hemp sequesters significant amounts of carbon from the atmosphere, helping mitigate climate change. Hemp also enriches soil health rather than depleting nutrients like cotton does. Its overall carbon footprint is lower than cotton.
All parts of the fast-growing hemp plant can be utilized for fabric, paper, bioplastics, food, and biofuels. Hemp clothing is completely biodegradable at end-of-life, unlike synthetic fabrics. This supports circular production systems.Â
Hemp fabric is naturally more durable, antimicrobial, breathable, and UV protective compared to cotton. It can be used for a wide range of applications including apparel textiles, ropes, canvas, car parts, and construction materials.
Hemp could replace a major share of cotton, especially as a blended textile, while improving sustainability metrics for Indian fashion and textile companies. With supportive policies, research, and collective industry action, hemp can transform into a widely used cotton alternative within a decade.
However, changing perceptions takes time. Communicating hemp’s ecological merits to all stakeholders including farmers, manufacturers, brands and consumers is key. The focus should be on localized hemp textile manufacturing. India can lead the emerging global hemp apparel industry the way it has IT services and pharmaceuticals. That's why Weorg is now bringing up the future of sustainable clothing in India's hemp industry.
