Hemp

Long associated with aging hippies and crunchy granola types, hemp is one of the more environmentally friendly fibers in existence. Hemp production requires no pesticides, fungicides, or chemical fertilizers, and hemp is three times as strong and twice as resistant as cotton. Hemp is also naturally mold and mildew resistant to boot. No part of the plant is wasted during hemp production. Hemp seeds are comparable to sunflower seeds and full of Omega-3 fatty acids, and they can be eaten or used to make healthy food supplements; hemp stalks are used for fiber. This super-renewable plant is used to create everything from clothing to paper to mattresses.

Hemp has actually been used for thousands of years, but because of ignorance about its origins, hemp production slowed drastically in the earlier 20th century. In fact, until the 1920s, a large portion of clothing was fabricated using hemp textiles.

Because of the development of fabric alternatives that were softer and cheaper to process and because of fear that hemp was actually an illegal drug, use of hemp fell out of favor. But now hemp is often blended with other fabrics, making silk stronger and cotton more durable, and there's been significant development in processing methods to make the material softer and whiter.

When choosing hemp clothing, look for proof that the hemp has been grown organically and processed in an environmentally conscious fashion. Gone are the days of shapeless, rough, dull-looking hemp clothing - many clothing companies now blend hemp into their garments, and there are even labels who produce their fashions entirely out of this eco-preferable material.