Cotton is a soft material and breaks down over time. Hemp’s advantage here might be even larger: hemp has a wider variety of applications than cotton, and can be utilised for construction, oils, upholstery, rope, paper, and much more. Cotton Requires More Pesticides Than Hemp Our score: Organic cotton – 4 | Hemp – 3 Winner: Organic cotton . Hemp is actually one of the fastest-growing plants in the world as it takes only 3 to 4 months to reach maturity.
Hemp, marijuana’s cousin Not only is hemp gentle on the earth, it also requires very little water, especially when compared to cotton, which, according to Slate uses “about 50 percent more water per season than hemp.” But that’s not all. Aesthetics Cotton: Without the use of dyes, cotton comes naturally in white, cream and off-white. And a single hemp plant yields 220% more fiber than a cotton plant! It grows well on its own without interference. Here are the facts. Organic cotton wins this category as its grown in 35 countries and is comparatively easily available. Hemp can be grown with much less chemicals, or many times, none at all. Hemp and cotton are both a great source of fabric. Here we come to durability, you can guess, hemp is more durable than cotton. Moreover, it needs very little water to grow and it is naturally pest resistant. In three words: hemp is … Plus what makes traditional cotton so attractive is its low price, and organic cotton being more complex, it is also more expensive.
Cotton, on the other hand, is believed to be responsible for 25% of the world’s pesticide use! This means hemp will not mold or grow mildew very easily. As one of the most “thirsty” crops, cotton is heavily irrigated and is depleting our limited freshwater sources.
Plants Producing Cotton Fibers: Hemp plants require less water to grow, thrive and produce.
It requires A LOT of water to grow. Hemp is going up against cotton, which is a huge industry. (In fact, industrial hemp has a really low concentration of THC). Since it also does not hold odors, hemp clothing edges out cotton slightly on this one . Non-organic cotton, which is the most prevalently grown and used, also requires a vast amount of herbicides and pesticides, which negatively impacts not only the crop yields, but the surrounding environment and soil as well. Hemp vs Cotton – Comparison. Both materials are biodegradable, but hemp has much more strength and is much more durable than cotton. To produce 1 kg (a little over 2 lbs) of cotton, growers may require more than 20,000 liters of water. Hemp plants are tall and thin, growing to a height of 5–15 feet. In the hemp vs cotton debate, this is 1 point in favor of hemp!
When you consider the benefits of cotton, you may think of the soft and absorbent material that has been around for generations and is known as the fabric of our lives. And a single hemp plant yields 220% more fiber than a cotton plant! Nearly 10% of all agricultural chemicals and 25% of insecticides come from the cotton industry, which ends up in the soil, rivers, and streams. The hemp plant is a natural plant that is easy to grow. The concept of hemp vs cotton is a fairly new debate in the materials space. Yet, the psychoactive effects of the plant are not the reason behind that coronation.
Hemp Uses Less Water. Cotton is a very thirsty crop. Hemp vs. Cotton: Land Requirements. So yes, comfortable but with lesser endurance. Hemp’s roots are actually beneficial to the soil as they protect it from toxins and erosion. It can take more than 20,000 liters (5,000 gallons) of water to produce 1kg (2 pounds) of cotton, the … Between hemp vs cotton, hemp has many benefits.
Hemp vs Cotton: 5 Reasons Why Hemp is a Better Choice. Moreover, it needs very little water to grow and it is naturally pest resistant. * And as for water usage, hemp definitely wins out. And a single hemp plant yields 220% more fiber than a cotton plant! The Stockholm Environment Institute Cotton vs Hemp study shows cotton takes approximately 2,500 gallons of water to produce 2lbs of usable fiber that can make a single t-shirt and pants. Hemp actively removes toxins from the soil very successfully and it never depletes the land. Hemp and Cotton sometimes compete to be used as the desired material although they each have their own strengths and weakness and can also be blended together and used as one in clothing or textiles. Hemp vs Bamboo vs Cotton When you first come in contact with the zero waste world you'll find out that there are more natural materials than just cotton. Cotton can take more than 20,000 liters (5,000 gallons) of water to produce 1kg (2 pounds) of cotton, the equivalent of a single T-shirt and pair of jeans. While cotton is initially softer and more comfortable, hemp will become softer over time.