Hemp Blue. Let The Next American Revolution Begin

A Sustainable Future. We Got The Dope

When Thomas visited the Kingpins show in Amsterdam back in October, he noted that sustainability was one of the defining trends of 2017. Few fabrics are as inherently sustainable as hemp.

Following their successful début on Kickstaster, new American denim brand Hemp Blue are now on their way to creating sustainable American fashion made from hemp and and also fight for the legalization of hemp farming.

Sowing The Seeds of Revolution

It all starts with the clothes. Hemp Blue’s first collection of jeans, shirts and jackets is partly made of hemp, a fabric known for its environmental benefits and toughness, and grown in most of the world. In America however, hemp is classified as a Schedule 1 drug, alongside LSD and heroin which means that it is illegal to grow in most states. This makes it difficult to assure both the quality of the hemp and the conditions under which it is grown.

Hemp Blue imports their hemp from selected suppliers in Thailand, Japan, and Italy, where fair labour practices are in effect. Unfortunately, it is not enough to produce their collection solely of hemp, so a blend of hemp and American grown cotton is used.

Their selvedge jeans are made of 42 percent hemp and 58 percent organic cotton while the shirts and regular jeans are a 30/70 percent mix. The women’s selvedge jeans are 39 percent hemp, 41 percent cotton.

The rest of their collection is made of cotton, except for the women’s skinny jeans. They are made with a stretch fabric consisting of 88 percent cotton, 10 percent polyester and 2 percent spandex, but Hemp Blue are working with their manufacturers in developing a denim stretch fabric, made with a blend of organic cotton, hemp and Spandex.

In time, they are also looking to replace all the conventional cotton with organic cotton, and for their next collection they will use organic, plant-based dyes.

Furthering the Cause

But, making clothes is only part of the Hemp Blue project. It is also a fight to legalize the growing of hemp in America. To do that, they are working with legislators, helping draft legislation bills and donating 10% of their profits to non-profit trade groups and organizations such as Hemp Industries Association and Vote Hemp.

Adding to this, they also look to fund The American Hemp Textile Coalition, a lobby group seeking state and federal funding to develop the infrastructures needed to process hemp textiles within the USA. While work on the non-profit is currently underway, they plan to follow it with active fundraising campaigns in North Carolina, Kentucky, Colorado, and California.

Because of this, getting a pair of jeans from Hemp Blue, is not just about the jeans, but is also a statement and a way to support their effort to create a sustainable supply chain for growing and processing hemp in America and, in doing so, also ensuring the quality of fabrics as well as working conditions.

How to Join the Movement

It takes no more than a quick glance at their website and their Twitter to see, that Hemp Blue is not just another clothing company, but a company that want change, and they will keep spreading the word, informing and educating people about the history and benefits of hemp.