Sensible Threads

Since media outlets today are filled with 420 statuses and various marijuana references, I figured now would be the best time to introduce the idea of sustainable threads.

We can make so many aspects of our lives sustainable; food, means of transportation, bringing a cloth bag to the supermarket (or better yet, farmer's market!). So why not switch to more sustainable clothing? I'm talking about hemp, kids. No matter what your views are on the the uses of marijuana, there is no denying the benefits of using hemp to make clothing and other products. It is one of the most renewable resources that can be found on the planet. Clothing made from hemp is not only easy to care for but is durable and will last a lot longer than that Abercrombie polyester blend shirt. Hemp can be grown without the aid of pesticides and is able to yield a wide variety of products, unlike other natural fibers. It is a fuel in two senses: hemp is nutritional, high in proteins and amino acids and on a larger scale, could be used to solve the energy crisis.

Of course, if it was legal to grow in the United States. I am not going to use the remainder of this post to rant about legalization but it is something to consider. If hemp was to be a regulated crop in this country, we could significantly lower our dependency on imported goods while doing much less damage to the environment. Legalization would also mean that hemp clothing becomes more readily available and at a lower cost (I think people would be much more willing to buy it if it didn't cost $40 for a t-shirt, don't you?). That is not to say that hemp would dominate the sustainable fiber market; organic cotton is beginning to appear in many stores and though more expensive than a typical factory-brand cotton shirt, it does cost a little less than a hemp shirt. Legalizing would simply broaden the domestic market, giving Americans more options while helping their country, environmentally and economically.

Some of my personal favorite hemp products include lotion and perfume, and I met a girl on the bus today who loves her hemp messenger bag. I've listed some links under the images to hemp clothing stores and to some informational sites. For those who are into that sort of thing, enjoy the rest of your day and crank up that Bob Marley ;)

The Hempest
Vote Hemp
Legalize