Eco HempWear
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Hemp Clothing and Accessories-- Eco friendly products.
As a friend of the Earth, we strive to provide Eco friendly renewable products to our customers. Minimize your impact on Mother Earth by choosing to use and buy products from Eco HempWear.
Enjoy our new and unique Accessories
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The definiative book on Hemp available for download completely free...
Click here for the PDF file:
http://www.hemp4fuel.com/Jack_Herer_-_The_Emperor_Wears_No_Clothes_[How_Hemp_Can_Save_The_World].en.pdf
"Make the most of the Indian Hemp Seed and sow it everywhere." - George Washington
Hemp is legendary. It is an extremely durable, fast growing sustainable fiber that is drought tolerant. And unlike conventionally grown cotton, it doesn't require massive quantities of pesticides and fertilizers to grow well. Bottom line: hemp is a "Super Fiber." That's why more and more progressive, high-profile companies are starting to use hemp including Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Giorgio Armani and The Body Shop, to name a few. Despite Hemp's enormous benefits, the US government maintains an odd position banning its cultivation in the US.
BENEFITS OF HEMP PRODUCTS
We are proud to offer several excellent reusable bags made from hemp. Below are some key facts about why hemp is a great natural fiber for products subject to frequent wear and tear.
- Hemp products will outlast their competition by many years – not only is it strong, but hemp holds its shape. This means less stretching and more durability.
- The more hemp is used, the softer it gets. In fact, hemp doesn't wear out, it wears in!
- Hemp is naturally resistant to mold and ultraviolet light.
The above qualities all point to hemp as being a smart, durable substitute for other natural fibers. We've tested hemp products and fully agree with the benefits of this "Super Fiber." Click here for a view of the hemp products we offer.
Be sure to continue reading below for a detailed overview of the history of hemp, its amazing natural qualities, and a list of what countries are currently taking advantage of this wonderful fiber.
BACKGROUND
Back in the 1930's, a smear campaign was created by competing industries including Paper, Petrochemical, and Cotton in order to destroy the hemp industry. A PR campaign was created to lump hemp in with marijuana and the "reefer madness" wave sweeping the nation at the time.
In 1937, this pressure led the U.S. government to ban growing industrial hemp. Even though it has been proven that THC levels are far too low for a person to get high on, over 60 years later the US Government maintains a ludicrous position against growing industrial hemp to continue to benefit the powerful economic interests of these competing industries.
QUALITIES OF INDUSTRIAL HEMP
- Unlike cotton, hemp is naturally hardy and drought tolerant and grows well without herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers. Twenty-five percent of all the pesticides used in the U.S. are applied to cotton.
- Its growth rate is so rapid, it is ready for harvest in only 4 months- reaching a height of 6-12 feet, and producing 3-6 tons of dry fiber per acre.
- Industrial hemp is not a drug. Unlike its cousin marijuana, industrial hemp has only trace amounts of THC - the chemical that produces the high. Unfortunately, the U.S. government refuses to legalize the cultivation of industrial hemp and clings to the obsolete myth that it is a drug.
- Hemp fibers are one of Earth's longest, strongest and most durable fibers and several times stronger than cotton.
- Hemp fibers yield superior paper with far more recycling lives than wood-based paper or cotton fibers. Hemp fiber paper resists decomposition, and does not yellow with age when an acid-free process is used. Hemp paper more than 1,500 years old has been found.
- Growing Hemp can save trees. According to the US Dept of Agriculture, one acre of hemp yields the same amount of paper pulp as four acres of trees on an annual basis.
- Hemp has been shown to "eat" radioactivity at Chernobyl. Hemp is proving to be one of the best phyto-remediative plants in the world. These plants have the ability to decontaminate soil by absorbing and/or trapping pollutants ranging from radiation and pesticides to solvents and toxins leaching from landfills.
INTERESTING HISTORICAL HEMP FACTS
- Levi Strauss's legendary denim jeans were originally made out of hemp.
- The word Canvas is derived from "cannabis" – prior to the introduction of synthetic fibers hemp was used all over the world.
- Presidents Washington and Jefferson both grew hemp. Americans were legally bound to grow hemp during the colonial era and early republic. The federal government subsidized hemp during the Second World War and US farmers grew about a million acres of hemp as part of that program.
- The first American flag was made of hemp fabric and the Declaration of Independence was drafted on hemp paper.
- The earliest known woven fabric was made of hemp and dates back to the eighth millennium (8,000-7,000) BC.
- In 1937 industrialists E. Paul DuPont, Andrew Mellon and William Randolph Hearst were able to push a "marijuana" prohibition bill through Congress in less than three months, which destroyed the domestic hemp industry.
| FACTS |
 |
| Here is an interesting and enlightening assortment of hemp facts: 1) Hemp is among the oldest industries on the planet, going back more than 10,000 years to the beginnings of pottery. The Columbia History of the World states that the oldest relic of human industry is a bit of hemp fabric dating back to approximately 8,000 BC. 2) Presidents Washington and Jefferson both grew hemp. Americans were legally bound to grow hemp during the Colonial Era and Early Republic. The federal government subsidized hemp during the Second World War and U.S. farmers grew about a million acres of hemp as part of that program. 3) Hemp seed is nutritious and contains more essential fatty acids than any other source, is second only to soybeans in complete protein (but is more digestible by humans), is high in B-vitamins, and is a good source of dietary fiber. Hemp seed is not psychoactive and cannot be used as a drug. 4) The bark of the hemp stalk contains bast fibers, which are among the Earth's longest natural soft fibers and are also rich in cellulose. The cellulose and hemi-cellulose in its inner woody core are called hurds. Hemp stalk is not psychoactive. Hemp fiber is longer, stronger, more absorbent and more insulative than cotton fiber. 5) According to the Department of Energy, hemp as a biomass fuel producer requires the least specialized growing and processing procedures of all hemp products. The hydrocarbons in hemp can be processed into a wide range of biomass energy sources, from fuel pellets to liquid fuels and gas. Development of bio-fuels could significantly reduce our consumption of fossil fuels and nuclear power. 6) Hemp can be grown organically. Only eight, out of about one hundred known pests, cause problems, and hemp is most often grown without herbicides, fungicides or pesticides. Hemp is also a natural weed suppressor due to fast growth of the canopy. 7) Hemp produces more pulp per acre than timber on a sustainable basis, and can be used for every quality of paper. Hemp paper manufacturing can reduce wastewater contamination. Hemp's low lignin content reduces the need for acids used in pulping, and its creamy color lends itself to environmentally-friendly bleaching instead of harsh chlorine compounds. Less bleaching results in less dioxin and fewer chemical by-products. 8) Hemp fiber paper resists decomposition, and does not yellow with age when an acid-free process is used. Hemp paper more than 1,500 years old has been found. Hemp paper can also be recycled more times than wood-based paper. 9) Hemp fiberboard produced by Washington State University was found to be twice as strong as wood-based fiberboard. No additional resins are required due to naturally-occurring lignins. 10) Eco-friendly hemp can replace most toxic petrochemical products. Research is being done to use hemp in manufacturing biodegradable plastic products: plant-based cellophane, recycled plastic mixed with hemp for injection-molded products, and resins made from the oil, to name a very few examples. Over two million cars on the road today have hemp composite parts for door panels, dashboards, luggage racks, etc. |
| Countries Growing Industrial Hemp Today |
| The U.S. is the only industrialized nation in the world that does not recognize the value of industrial hemp and permit its production. Below is a list of other countries that are more rational when it comes to hemp policy. |
| AUSTRALIA began research trials in Tasmania in 1995. Victoria commercial production since1998. New South Wales has research. In 2002, Queensland began production. Western Australia licensed crops in 2004. AUSTRIA has a hemp industry including production of hemp seed oil, medicinals and Hanf magazine. CANADA started to license research crops in 1994. In addition to crops for fiber, one seed crop was licensed in 1995. Many acres were planted in 1997. Licenses for commercial agriculture saw thousands of acres planted in 1998. 30,000 acres were planted in 1999. In 2000, due to speculative investing, 12,250 acres were sown. In 2001, 92 farmers grew 3,250 acres. A number of Canadian farmers are now growing organically-certified hemp crops (6,000 acres in 2003 and 8,500 acres in 2004, yielding almost four million pounds of seed). CHILE has grown hemp in the recent past for seed oil production. CHINA is the largest exporter of hemp textiles. The fabrics are of excellent quality. Medium density fiber board is also now available. The Chinese word for hemp is "ma." DENMARK planted its first modern hemp trial crops in 1997. The country is committed to utilizing organic methods. FINLAND had a resurgence of hemp in 1995 with several small test plots. A seed variety for northern climates was developed called Finola, previously know by the breeder code "FIN-314." In 2003, Finola was accepted to the EU list of subsidized hemp cultivars. Hemp has never been prohibited in Finland. The Finnish word for hemp is "hamppu." FRANCE has never prohibited hemp and harvested 10,000 tons of fiber in 1994. France is a source of low-THC-producing hemp seed for other countries. France exports high quality hemp oil to the U.S. The French word for hemp is "chanvre." GERMANY banned hemp in 1982, but research began again in 1992, and many technologies and products are now being developed, as the ban was lifted on growing hemp in November, 1995. Food, clothes and paper are also being made from imported raw materials. Mercedes and BMW use hemp fiber for composites in door panels, dashboards, etc. The German word for hemp is "hanf." GREAT BRITAIN lifted hemp prohibition in 1993. Animal bedding, paper and textiles markets have been developed. A government grant was given to develop new markets for natural fibers. 4,000 acres were grown in 1994. Subsidies of 230 British pounds per acre are given by the government to farmers for growing hemp. HUNGARY is rebuilding their hemp industry, and is one of the biggest exporters of hemp cordage, rugs and fabric to the U.S. They also export hemp seed, paper and fiberboard. The Hungarian word for hemp is "kender." INDIA has stands of naturalized Cannabis and uses it for cordage, textiles and seed. ITALY has invested in the resurgence of hemp, especially for textile production. 1,000 acres were planted for fiber in 2002. Giorgio Armani grows its own hemp for specialized textiles. JAPAN has a rich religious tradition involving hemp, and custom requires that the Emperor and Shinto priests wear hemp garments in certain ceremonies, so there are small plots maintained for these purposes. Traditional spice mixes also include hemp seed. Japan supports a thriving retail market for a variety of hemp products. The Japanese word for hemp is "asa." NETHERLANDS is conducting a four-year study to evaluate and test hemp for paper, and is developing specialized processing equipment. Seed breeders are developing new strains of low-THC varieties. The Dutch word for hemp is "hennep." NEW ZEALAND started hemp trials in 2001. Various cultivars are being planted in the north and south islands. POLAND currently grows hemp for fabric and cordage and manufactures hemp particle board. They have demonstrated the benefits of using hemp to cleanse soils contaminated by heavy metals. The Polish word for hemp is "konopij." ROMANIA is the largest commercial producer of hemp in Europe. 1993 acreage was 40,000 acres. Some of it is exported to Hungary for processing. They also export hemp to Western Europe and the U.S. The Romanian word for hemp is "cinepa." RUSSIA maintains the largest hemp germplasm collection in the world at the N.I. Vavilov Scientific Research Institute of Plant Industry (VIR) in St. Petersburg. They are in need of funding to maintain and support the collection. The Russian word for hemp is "konoplya." SLOVENIA grows hemp and manufactures currency paper. SPAIN has never prohibited hemp, produces rope and textiles, and exports hemp pulp for paper. The Spanish word for hemp is "cañamo." SWITZERLAND is a producer of hemp and hosts one of the largest hemp trade events, Cannatrade. TURKEY has grown hemp for 2,800 years for rope, caulking, birdseed, paper and fuel. The Turkish word for hemp is "kendir." UKRAINE, EGYPT, KOREA, PORTUGAL and THAILAND also produce hemp. UNITED STATES granted the first hemp permit in over 40 years to Hawaii for an experimental quarter-acre plot in 1999. The license was renewed, but the project has since been closed due to DEA stalling tactics and related funding problems. Importers and manufacturers have thrived using imported raw materials. 22 states have introduced legislation, including VT, HI, ND, MT, MN, IL, VA, NM, CA, AR, KY, MD, WV and ME, addressing support, research or cultivation with bills or resolutions. The National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) has endorsed industrial hemp for years. |
Important links about Hemp
http://fuelandfiber.com/Hemp4NRG/Hemp4NRGRV3.htm
http://thehia.org/
http://www.votehemp.com/
http://www.hempcar.org/
http://www.angelfire.com/ca7/ddc/Fuel.html
http://www.biofuels.fsnet.co.uk/sustain.htm
Hemp History
8000 B.C.
Hemp is woven into fabric and grows in popularity over time on a global scale to eventually provide over 80% of all textiles and fabrics, including over 50% of the fabric called linen.2700 B.C.
Cannabis, as hemp fabric and cordage, medicine, and food, has been incorporated into virtually all cultures of the Middle East, Asia Minor, India, China, Japan, and Africa.2300 B.C.
Nomadic tribes from the East migrate into the Mediterranean regions and eventually Europe, introducing hemp along the way.1000 B.C. to 1883A.D.
Hemp is the world's largest agricultural crop, providing materials to support civilization's most important industries, including fiber for fabric and rope, lamp oil for lighting, paper, medicine and food for both humans and domesticated animals.1000 B.C. to 1900 A.D.
Hemp Extracts are the #1, #2, and #3 most important and most frequently used medicine for two-thirds of the world's population.500 B.C. to 1900 A.D.
Ninety percent of the sailcloth and rigging lines used for all sea-going vessels is made from hemp. ( including the U.S. ship 'Constitution', better known as 'Old Ironsides'.)100 A.D.
Chinese discover how to make paper from hemp.1470's
Gutenberg Bible is printed on hemp paper.1564
King Philip of Spain mandated the cultivation of hemp for food, fiber and medicine throughout the Spanish territory in Central and South America.1600
Rembrandt paints on hemp canvas.1611
King James Bible is printed on hemp paper.1619
America's first hemp law is enacted at Jamestown Colony, Virginia, ordering all farmers to grow hemp.1631
'Must grow' hemp laws are enacted throughout Massachusetts.1631 to early 1800's
Hemp is 'legal tender' and taxes may be paid with hemp throughout most of the Americas.1632 to mid `1700's
'Must grow' hemp laws enacted in Connecticut and the Chesapeake Colonies.1700
Gainesborough paints on hemp canvas.1740 - 1940
Russia is the world's largest and 'best quality' producer of hemp, supplying 80% of Western hemp rope.1750's
Benjamin Franklin starts one of America's first hemp-rag paper mills.1763 - 1767
Farmers who do not grow hemp can be arrested and jailed in Virginia.1776
The patriotic populace organizes spinning bees to turn hemp fiber into clothing for General Washington's Continental Army.1776
First and second drafts of the Declaration of Independence are written on hemp paper.1777
The Stars and Stripes is endorsed as the Capitol Flag of the U.S.A. and made of hemp fabric.1790's
George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grow hemp on their plantations.1800's
Van Gogh paints on hemp canvas.Australians survive two prolonged famines by using hemp seed for protein and leaves for roughage.
Hemp seed oil, long the most popular lighting oil in the world, falls to second place in popularity as whale oil becomes widely accessible.
The use of hemp extracts as a recreational stimulant spreads through Western culture and romantic writers expound on individual freedom and human dignity, extolling cannabis use. Their works include: The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers, Alice in Wonderland, and Through the Looking Glass.
1812
America goes to war with Great Britain over free-trade access to Russian hemp.1837 - 1901
Queen Victoria uses cannabis resins to treat menstrual cramps, sparking enormous interest in the uses of cannabis as a medicine in the English- speaking world.1840
Abraham Lincoln uses hemp-seed oil to fuel his household lamps.He also writes ( as a general statement on government function and legislation ): 'Prohibition... goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to control a man's appetite by making a crime out of things that are not crimes... A prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our government was founded.'
1842 - 1890
Extracts and derivatives of the hemp plant are the second and third most prescribed medicines in the U.S.A. Eli Lilly, Parke-Davis, Squibb, Brothers Smith and other firms produce these medicines through 1930. During this time, not one death or severe side-effect is recorded as an attribute to use.1850
U.S. census records 8,327 hemp plantations of 2,000 acres or more and an uncalculated number of small hemp farms.1860
'Ganjah Wallah Hasheesh Candy Company' produces one of the most popular candies in the U.S. It is made from cannabis derivatives and maple sugar, sold over-the-counter, and in Sears-Roebuck catalogs. It retains its popularity as a totally harmless and fun candy for over forty years.1865
Alice in Wonderland is published on hemp paper.1870's
The popularity of smoking female cannabis tops, to ease the back-breaking labor of working sugar cane fields and tolerate the hot sun as well as to relax recreationally with no alcohol 'hang-over', begins to spread in the West Indies with the immigration of Hindus who are imported to provide cheap labor. Gradually, this popularity makes its way into the United States through St. Louis.1883
Hashish smoking parlors have opened in every major American city, including an estimated 500 such establishments in New York City alone.1890's Popular American 'marriage guides' recommend cannabis extracts for heightened marital pleasures. Women's temperance groups, lobbying for alcohol prohibition, suggest cannabis as a suitable substitute for the 'demon drink'.
1901 - 1937
U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts repeatedly that with the advent of machinery capable of harvesting, stripping and separating the hemp fiber from the pulp, hemp will again be America's 'Number One' crop.1916 U.S.D.A. publishes Bulletin No. 404, 'Hemp Hurds As Paper-Making Material,' extolling and demonstrating the outstanding qualities of paper manufactured from hemp-pulp, a new process. The document was printed on hemp-pulp paper and explained the new technology. Previously most all paper was made with the hemp fiber content of 'rag' (worn out clothing).
1920
To this point in time, U.S. Government papers were written, by law, on 'hempen rag paper'.1929
Henry Ford begins extensive research into the production of methanol (as a fuel) and the manufacture of plastics from renewable vegetable crops, including hemp.1935
116 million pounds of hemp seed are used commercially in America to manufacture paint and varnish.1937
February issue of Mechanical Engineering includes the feature story 'The Most Profitable and Desirable Crop That Can Be Grown' which tells about the new machines being used to harvest hemp.4 million pounds of hemp seed are sold retail as song-bird food in the U.S.A.
An estimated 10 million aces of hemp grows wild in the U.S.A., providing an important food source for hundreds of millions of birds.
1938
The February issue of Popular Mechanics runs a story, (prepared before the 1937 legislation was enacted) titled: 'New Billion Dollar Crop.' It tells about the new machine for harvesting hemp which 'solves a problem more than 6,000 years old.' It further states that increased hemp production 'will displace imports of raw material and manufactured products' and calls hemp the 'standard fiber of the world.' Popular Mechanics goes on to say hemp can 'produce more than 25,000 products, ranging from dynamite to Cellophane.' This is the first time ever in U.S. history the term 'billion-dollar' is applied to the potential for an agricultural harvest.1941
December issue of Popular Mechanics features a story on Henry Ford, showing a picture of the car he 'grew from the soil.' The automobile's 'plastic panels with impact strength 10 times greater than steel were made from flax, wheat, hemp, and spruce pulp.' The auto weighed 1/3 less than its 100% steel contemporaries.1942
U.S. government overrides its own ban on hemp and distributes 400,000 pounds of hemp seed to U.S farmers who produce 42,000 tons of hemp fiber annually to support the war effort until 1946.U.S. farmers, including youthful 4-H Club members, are inundated by 'Uncle Sam' with incentives to grow hemp. The U.S.D.A. makes it mandatory for farmers to attend showings of the 'Hemp For Victory' film. Farmers and their sons who agree to grow hemp are exempt from military service, even though America is at war.
1972
U.S.D.A. finds that hemp seed is lower in saturated fats than any other vegetable oil (including soybean and canola).Other studies note that until this century hemp-cake (the by-product of pressing the seed for oil ) was one of the world's principle animal feeds.
It is also found that hemp seed, like soybeans, can produce a tofu-like curd and be spiced to taste like chicken, steak or pork; can be sprouted for salads, ground into meal, and also made into margarine.
Hemp seed is recommended as a nutritionally balanced food for domestic pets and farm animals.
1975
Researchers at the Medical College of Virginia discover that cannabis is incredibly successful for reducing the size of many types of tumors, both benign and cancerous.1989
Garments containing hemp fiber are available to the American public for the first time in over 50 years, however, this clothing must be imported to the U.S. from China (via Hong Kong) and carries a huge protective tariff.Please visit our friends at Boutique Liquors
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