Fast fashion is for suckers, hemp is for lovers
Fast fashion is a key contributor to carbon emissions and the way people think about their next outfit-of-the-day. The precedent set by Amazon to guarantee speedy delivery amplifies the problem. How many shipping containers must cross the ocean today so you can wear that quirky t-shirt you saw in an Instagram ad tomorrow? How much water must be wasted for cotton to produce denim jeans apparel regardless of the quality? Rather than corporations and brands setting the example with renewability, the consumer is tasked with deciding if they want to buy, donate, thrift or upcycle the garment.
As frustrating as this situation can be, I find inspiration from the companies disrupting the status quo. Afends for example, is a fashion brand that lives in my head rent-free. The Australian street & surf wear company, based out of Byron Bay, is going big with hemp. I can talk for days about the health benefits, but here I'm focused on hemp as a sustainable material for fashion.
Did you know cotton needs over 5,000 gallons of water in order to produce a single t-shirt and a pair of jeans? Hemp requires less than 100 gallons, most of which comes from rainwater, collected by the farmers. Cotton is synonymous with toxic pesticides, whereas hemp can be left alone. Hemp needs half the acreage as cotton to grow the same amount of cotton. When we talk about the quality of cotton, it's easy to remember a hoodie or pair of jeans that felt scratchy and easy-to-rip, while hemp is classified as a super fiber.
I bought a hemp t-shirt and jeans from Afends, shipped from their US headquarters. This is my lucky outfit. Not just because I love streetwear, the beach lifestyle and cannabis products in general, but because the materials are UV resistant, biodegradable, antibacterial, uses 80% less water, 37% less CO2 and supports 250% more fiber per acre in production.
Go get some hemp, all the cool kids are wearing it.