Hemp is extremely durable and easy to grow organically. It is a dense, fast growing plant (quickly reaching 15 feet in height). Because of this it blocks weeds and does not require herbicides. It has a deep tap root and so draws water and nutrients from deeper soil layers, eliminating the need for fertizers. Hemp actually enriches the soil it is grown in, Unlike more delicate fibers such as flax, hemp can be grown in the same field year after year with no negative impact on the land.

Hemp has been grown for at least the last 12,000 years for the use of its fibers, which are important for the manufacture of textiles and food. China has had an uninterrupted hemp trade for approximately 6000 years and is currently the primary producer of hemp. Growing hemp has been illegal in the US. since the 1950s because it is a relative of marijuana. (Hemp was first regulated in the US in 1937, when legislation required farmers to obtain a permit to grow hemp.) Hemp and marijuana are both varieties of Cannabis sativa L., but hemp contains almost no THC, the narcotic component of Marijuana. The main reason seems to be that the plants resemble each other making it difficult to distinguish the two crops.

It seems rather ironic when one considers that was a prominent crop in the US since the first settlements in Jamestown. Both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew hemp on their plantations. Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence on hemp paper and the first US flag was made of hemp fabric.

As stated earlier, it is a natural for organic farming. Hemp is naturally mildew resistant and blocks the sun's UV rays more effectively than other fabrics. In addition, it is stronger, more absorbent and more lustrous than cotton. Hemp is eight times stronger than cotton and four times as durable. It grows in a range of climates and is frost tolerant. Hemp is eco-friendly, sustainable and much easier to grow (without the use of pesticides) than cotton. One acre of hemp produces as much fiber as 2.5 acres of cotton and at a much lower cost both in cultivation, harvesting, and production. Unlike cotton, hemp fibers are easy to remove from the plant and immediately ready to comb and use. And anything that can be made from cotton or linen can be made from hemp. It is a versatile fiber and hemp can be as soft as the softest cotton flannel, as strong and sturdy as denim, and as comfortable as linen and ramie.