Materials, Methods & Technologies, Volume 17, 2023

Abstract: The fashion industry is one of the world's largest and most polluting industries, significantly impacting the environment and human health. The production of conventional textiles involves toxic chemicals, excessive water consumption, and significant amounts of energy, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental problems. Recently, there has been a growing interest in more sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives to conventional textiles. A promising solution is using hemp fabrics in the textile fashion industry. Hemp is a versatile and sustainable material used to make various textile products, from clothing and accessories to upholstery and home decor. Hemp requires less water and fewer pesticides than cotton and can be grown without herbicides or fungicides. This work discusses the sustainability of hemp while exploring the use of hemp fabric in the textile garment fashion industry as part of cotton substitution. A woven hemp fabric is used to create a casual final garment to prove that it can be quickly processed using the same design patterns, cutting and sewing procedure, offering the same comfort and aesthetic result. The fabric is tested and compared to a cotton woven fabric of similar characteristics for its drape, tensile and tear strength, resistance to wear, breathability, and sewability through needle penetration force. Finally, the dyeability of hemp is tested using natural dyes.