Hemp soften over time?

859 Views 5 Replies 5 Participants Last post by mamamoo, Oct 19, 2003

chaos_pie

Discussion Starter · Oct 18, 2003

I just bought some hemp wipes on a whim since I have no clue what hemp fabric is (hemp cotton terry/ hemp cotton fleece). I think they are a bit rough (I have washed them 6 times now). Do hemp containing fabrics soften over time?

Also-can anyone also tell me the benefits of using hemp?

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Trishy

· #2 · Oct 18, 2003

Yes they will soften.

Hemp is wonderful. It is naturally anti bacterial/microbial. It requres no pesticides for growth. A hemp cotton blend fabric will be much more absorbent than cotton. Hemp fabrics will take about 5-6 hot washes before it is fully absorbent because the hemp oils have to get out of it.

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Kermit

· #3 · Oct 18, 2003

In my somewhat limited experience, they start out soft, then become kind rough and hard. Then, when really worn, (like an old undershirt) they get soft again.

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Artisan

· #4 · Oct 18, 2003

Well, bad news and good news.

Hemp is VERY absorbent (more absorbent than cotton). It requires very little water to grow and doesn't deplete the soil of nutrients in the same way cotton does. It's also pest resistant, so requires fewer pesticides. It's not "legal" to produce in the US, as lobbying efforts from publishing mogul William Randolph Hearst in the early 1900s protected the cotton industry, so a lot of hemp is grown in Canada. (Which is one reason it's slightly more expensive than regular cotton.) So, bottom line: good for the environment, very absorbent.

As for softening, unfortunately, most hemp grows stiffer over time rather than softer (one of hemp's downsides). Some people have had good luck with using Downy Advanced fabric softener on their hemp and cotton.

HTH!

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chaos_pie

Discussion Starter · #5 · Oct 18, 2003

so I guess I better enjoy them now because they are not going to get any better

again-thanks for the super information concerning the environmental impacts!

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mamamoo

· #6 · Oct 19, 2003

I have2 layer hemp wipes, and they were very soft to start with, then were kind of rough, not they are extremely soft and pliable. I think they do work in and get softer, though I think they are never going to be as soft as cotton. JMO

Debi

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