Are we becoming more discerning, frugal and conscious? How are our shopping habits evolving? Why are we swapping a tracksuit made of plastic polyester for one made of hemp?

The past few decades have been a time of consumerism splurge and a period of reign of the fashion called "fast fashion". Fast fashion is a business model that relies on mass-produced, mostly low-quality clothing items based on current fashion trends. The result? Mass access to fashion news at a low price. Although the industry has its advantages, the downsides far outweigh them. Fast fashion tends to produce huge amounts of waste and uses high-maintenance fabrics such as cotton and synthetics

Switching to more sustainable fabrics and producing correspondingly less seems to be the only solution to this rapidly growing problem

Why hemp fiber fabrics?
Hemp has recently gained momentum in the market and a lot of popularity in the fashion industry, and there are a whole bunch of reasons for this. Hemp fabrics are known for their purity, anti-allergenic properties, super-absorbent nature, sustainability during production, and now they are also making a career as a new trend setter in the fashion industry. With the deteriorating state of our planet, people have become more aware of the need to protect it. Many consumers have begun to choose only products that are environmentally friendly and harmless to our environment

Hemp is largely a more beneficial crop than the popular cotton. Its fiber uses only 10 liters of water/kg in production, while cotton, uses 9,000 liters of water/kg

The popularity of hemp fabric in the fashion industry will take a big leap toward sustainability. This would mean that we need more and more hemp plants for products, and this would initiate more hemp cultivation which in turn would help in the process of absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere in a shorter period of time. More hemp plantations, more products produced, and more purification of the atmosphere!

Where did the hemp come from?
Hemp grows all over the world, and it grew here centuries ago. Already ancient civilizations recognized their importance, value and appreciated their wide applications. Hemp is a hardy plant. Its stems are fibrous and thick. The seeds are also highly nutritious, so hemp seeds are often used as part of healthy diet and nutrition plans. Experts estimate that hemp has been used since about 8,000 B.C.. This is long before people grew crops themselves and long before the invention of the technology needed to make clothes. Nevertheless, hemp has accompanied mankind and we have begun to use it for various purposes. Hemp fiber or industrial hemp is extracted from the outer layer or phloem of the Cannabis sativa plant, which is more popular than that for marijuana production. While marijuana contains 20 percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which causes a high when smoked, industrial hemp contains only 1 percent THC. However, hemp fiber has some magical properties: it is a good conductor of heat, dyes well, protects the skin from ultraviolet radiation (which causes skin cancer), and has natural antibacterial, antifungal and anti-allergic properties

What will be the fashion of the future?
According to trend analyst Agus Panzoni (@thealgorythm), "clothes for life" could play a huge role in our near future, and that's where hemp could finally shine because it is, by design, greener and made to last longer. "The concept of 'clothes for life' focuses on mending and durability, and the designers are primarily concerned with comfort and timelessness, moving away from seasonality and trends." - explains Agus
This means having a closet that consists of high-quality basics that can be layered, embroidered, repaired and adjusted, and most importantly, kept in your closet much longer

The notion of work-at-home attire has also been forever redefined by the pandemic - it's not hard to imagine future closets full of clothes made from hemp fiber, since it's a naturally durable, comfortable and breathable material

And so the comfortable hemp sweatshirt displaces the polyester button-up neck sweatshirt. What the planet and our bodies are grateful for. One and all are finally breathing a sigh of relief.