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Hemp - A Viable Choice for Cloth Diapering
by Amie Nguyen
Most people think of hippies, drugs, or an old Cheech and Chong
movie when they hear the word 'hemp.' Although these references may be somewhat correct, they are only small
pieces of the cannabis sativa plant history. The use of hemp dates
back to over ten thousand years ago. From the
oldest relic of human industry, a bit of hemp fabric that dates back to
approximately 8,000 BC, to the hemp paper that the United States Declaration of
Independence is written on, there are innumerable uses for hemp.
What exactly is Hemp ?
Hemp is an annual herbaceous plant of the species cannabis sativa,
meaning ‘useful hemp’. Hemp is a distinct variety of the cannabis
plant. Although hemp and marijuana have a similar leaf shape, and
are both “Cannabis", Hemp contains virtually no THC
(delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), the active ingredient in marijuana.
Products made from Hemp are environmentally friendly,
sustainable/biodegradable and psychoactive free.
Why choose Hemp
diapers ?
When Susie Little of
What's Hempinin' Baby?™ began
making cloth diapers, she wanted a cloth diaper that was more
environmentally friendly than the traditional 100% cotton cloth
diapers. In the six years since she decided to use Hemp in her
cloth diapers, Hemp cloth diapers have become on of the favorites
among cloth diaper users. This is because cotton and synthetic
fiber can not match Hemp's ability to absorb moisture. Hemp fabric
is three times stronger than cotton of the same weight, absorbs more
moisture, and will last much longer than cotton alone. Hemp is a
high yield plant producing the strongest natural fiber known to man.
It can be grown pesticide free and has no known insect enemies. Hemp
has inherent antifungal, antibacterial properties, is breathable,
recyclable and non-allergenic; making it the ultimate cloth diaper
fabric.
Hemp Fabrics All
of the hemp/cotton knit fabrics used in cloth diapering are produced
at a mill in China. The importer who originally designed the
hemp/cotton fabrics that are imported into the US visits the mill a
number of times per year. She monitors the conditions of the mill,
the quality of the fabric, and makes any necessary adjustments in
production.
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Fleece
(55% Hemp 45 % Cotton)
This is the most
popular hemp diaper fabric. It is similar to a sweat shirt,
with a knit on one side and a soft brushed fleece on the other
side. After repeated washing the brushed side of the fabric
will loose some of its fullness, this does not affect the
quality.
French Terry
(55% Hemp 45 % Cotton)
French terry is
the fleece fabric with the loops in tact (not brushed/combed
like the fleece), and knit on the other side. Some report that
the French terry is slightly more absorbent than the fleece. As
with fleece after repeated washing/drying the loops will loose
some of their fullness, this does not affect the quality.
Stretch Knit Terry (53% Hemp 43 % Cotton 4% Lycra)
This fabric
resembles an infant bath towel. It is slightly more stretchy
than the other knits. It is knit on one side, and small loops
on the other. This fabric is less bulky than the fleece and
french terry, but being the same weight it is comparable in it’s
ability to absorb fluid.
Knit
Jersey
(55% Hemp 45 % Cotton)
Jersey is a light
weight fabric that resembles a high quality T-shirt. This
fabric is generally used as an outer fabric, as it is very soft.
Muslin
(55% Hemp 45 % Cotton)
At this time this
is the only woven fabric used for cloth diapers. It is the most
durable of all the hemp diaper fabrics. It is especially good
for the outer fabric of inserts for pocket diapers, as the
insert does not touch baby skin. This fabric will look better
and last longer than any of the knit fabrics.
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Hemp is an
annual herbaceous plant of the species cannabis sativa. |
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Washing hemp
diapers-
Pre-washing hemp cloth diapers will improve the initial absorbency
of the diapers. Any mild detergent works well on hemp cloth
diapers. It is generally a good idea to use about half of the
recommended amount of detergent per load to prevent build-up. You
should never use fabric softener. Fabric softeners will leave a
film, which will cause the diapers to be less absorbent, and may
irritate baby's skin. Bleach should not be used, as it causes the
fibers in the fabric to break down causing holes and a rough
texture. In place of bleach or fabric softener, you can add a cup of
vinegar to the final rinse cycle. Vinegar helps to soften,
disinfect, and brighten your diapers. Line drying or “sunning” your
diapers is the best way to remove any stains. As long as you get
all of the detergent out of hemp and dry them properly, hemp diapers
should never be stiff or smell bad. If you choose to line dry, it
may be best to tumble dry on low for a few minutes after line
drying. It is best to avoid drying diapers in high heat, especially
diapers with snaps. If your diaper has snaps, high heat could cause
the snaps to warp. Warped snaps do not snap properly, and sometimes
become loose or come off. Diapers should be tumble dried on low heat
or line dried.
Sources:
- Kane, Mari “Basic Uses of Industrial Hemp: Food, Fuel, Fiber” at
www.hia.org
- Conrad, Chris Hemp,Lifeline to the Future
- Herer, Jack, The Emperor Wears No Clothes
- Little, Susie "Natural parents choose cloth diapers and baby
hemp clothing from What's Hempenin' Baby?" at
www.globalhemp.org
About the author ::
Amie Nguyen has been a WAHM for the past eight years, two of which
belong to
www.WildNWoolyGoods.com. She has three children who all
learn at home (and many other places too). Her husband is a
WAHD (Work-At-Home-Dad), and enjoys referring to himself as
"Mr.Wild" and Amie as "Mrs.Wooly." Amie enjoys chatting with her customers, and says
positive feedback from customers is what she enjoys most
about Wild N Wooly Goods. |
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