The fashion industry is changing the reputation of cannabis

by time news

In Russia, starting from 2021, they will begin to produce cellulose from industrial hemp – a corresponding agreement was signed in January between the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Konoplex group of companies. The project is worth 2 billion rubles. will be implemented in the Penza region. “According to its characteristics, cellulose from bast crops is closest to cotton, which Russia imports. Now, domestic chemical industries will be able to use Russian raw materials, which were not previously produced in the country, ”Konopleks reports. It is expected that by 2026, after the plant reaches its design capacity, it will be able to produce 4,000 tons of pulp per year.

Ancient matter

The use of hemp as a fiber has a long history. Thus, various samples of hemp clothing and footwear were found in the ancient Egyptian pyramids. The ancient Greek historian Herodotus noted that the Thracians (residents of the Eastern Balkans) sewed from hemp “clothes so similar to linen that a person who is not particularly well versed will not even distinguish the material.”

Hemp was also used to make sails, ropes, sacks, fishing tackle, etc. There is even an assumption that the English word canvas (canvas, canvas) comes from the Dutch cannabis (hemp). At the time of Peter I, the Russian Empire was considered the largest supplier of hemp stalk fibers – hemp – abroad. The rigging of ships of Great Britain, Holland and other maritime powers consisted of 90% of Russian hemp fiber. In general, 80% of all textiles, linen and other fabrics before 1820 were made from hemp, since the mechanism for separating cotton fibers had not yet been invented.

However, the illicit drug association has severely damaged the reputation of industrial hemp. Industrial (industrial) hemp was banned for cultivation all over the world after the adoption of the UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs in 1961.

In Russia, the cultivation of hemp as an agricultural crop was again allowed only in 2007. But the greatest growth in demand for this product has been observed in the last five years – since 2015, the export of hemp and its products from Russia has grown 40 times. In the US, the market was legalized three years ago. According to Reports and Data, it is now growing by an average of almost 14% per year.

4000 tons of hemp pulp

will be able to produce an enterprise in the Penza region after reaching its design capacity by 2026.

However, until recently, hemp clothing was a rarity. For example, hemp fiber has been featured in niche collections by Ralph Lauren, Stella McCartney, Yves Saint Laurent. In 2019, Levi’s partnered with Outerknown to launch a small line of denim pants and jackets. The fabric in them consisted of 69% cotton, 31% hemp.

According to experts, the market growth was significantly accelerated by the coronavirus, one of the positive consequences of which was the growing interest in clothing made from ecological fabrics. “Now in the fashion industry there is a powerful trend towards materials from alternative raw materials – for example, artificial leather made from mushrooms, fabrics made from recycled wood, plastic, etc.,” says Russian fashion designer Alena Akhmadullina. – This is due to the increased eco-awareness after the period of the pandemic. I think that the production of hemp fabric falls under the general trend. “

Designer Masha Tsigal, who launched the hemp capsule collection at the end of December 2020, also emphasizes that this material is more environmentally friendly than usual cotton. “According to statistics, every kilogram of cotton requires 4 times more water than hemp. It is unpretentious in maintenance, grows quickly with practically no fertilizers and takes a small amount of nutrients from the soil, says Tsygal. – At the same time, things made from hemp fiber are stronger. No wonder the very first jeans were made from hemp. ” In addition, the designer claims, the fabric has the properties of a medicinal plant – it retains the ability to neutralize toxins, does not allow pathogenic microbes to develop, does not create conditions that impede metabolic processes on human skin. “And hemp fabric also excludes overheating of the body in hot weather and hypothermia in the cold season,” – praises the properties of the material Tsigal.

However, most Russian designers have not yet used hemp fiber fabrics. “Such materials simply did not fall into our field of vision,” explains fashion designer Igor Chapurin. “Perhaps because their offer is limited on the market, or the manufacturers of such fabrics do not give us the design solution that we would like to integrate into the Chapurin brand collections.” Also, according to him, the issue of the cost of raw materials remains important – especially in light of the fact that prices for fabrics made from natural materials are constantly growing. The creators of the RCP 4.5 brand say they plan to use hemp in their products when more raw materials are available on the market that would be more suitable for the harsh climate of Russia. “Now hemp fabric is more suitable for summer collections, but it would be great if the new fabrics could be used in the winter and autumn assortments,” the designers say.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian brand Ksenia Schnaider and the manufacturer of technical hemp textiles DevoHome have already presented a joint winter collection of outerwear using hemp fur. “We invented hemp fur several years ago, but only this year we managed to make it completely natural and biodegradable,” says Oksana Devo, founder of the DevoHome brand. “Such fur behaves great in a sock: it can withstand frosts down to minus 20 degrees, it is pleasant to the touch, smells like fresh hay and provides people with an alternative to fake fur and the fur of dead animals.”

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