High hopes for hemp

You may never have stumbled upon them, but there are 2,000 hectares of hemp growing in Britain today, most of which ends up as car interiors and horse bedding. In the near future our countryside may be covered with the crop, destined for high-street clothing and furnishing.

BioRegional - the group behind the BedZed development - and Australian experts Fibrenova are doing a feasibility study on harvesting and processing hemp to compete in the global textiles market.

Organically grown, it could provide a sustainable alternative to oil-based synthetics and cotton - which is not only a heavily water-intensive crop, but also one that accounts for 14% of the world's pesticide use. Another big plus is that hemp would be home-grown, reducing air miles and providing a diversification opportunity for farmers - the angle that explains the financial support from the England Rural Development Programme. Far from following a new-age fad, farmers would be returning to their roots, growing a crop that was widespread in the Middle Ages and essential for making sails. Bet you didn't know that the word canvas comes from the cannabis plant.

High-street names are backing the study. Marks & Spencer, for one, is keen to find out if blending this new biofibre with other materials could reduce their ecological footprint. But Mike Barry, sustainable development manager at M&S, has to remain realistic about the whole thing: “The mass market still has no perception that there’s a problem with making clothes. It’s a long way to go before mainstream shops can say to customers ‘buy this - it’s a more ethical product’.” Another attitude that might need to shift is the taboo surrounding hemp - before you ask, no you can’t smoke these jackets. - Hannah Bullock

12 October 2003

Hannah Bullock