Why we should all join forces and buy a hemp/flax farm

I've been reading quite a bit on the fashion industry and had no idea how much of a polluter it is or how much that 5€ t-shirt in Penney's/Walmart/Target is costing the environment and the people making them. In terms of carbon emissions alone the fashion industry lifecycle (supply chains, production processes, manufacturing, shipping and retail) accounts for 10% of carbon emissions globally, and this excludes the use of water, herbicides, insecticides, soil/waterway impacts, and local environment/human/animal impacts. Overall the fashion industry is the second largest polluter to oil and gas.

Throughout this article there are references to the human impact our fashion industry has on the people making our clothes (pesticides/toxins from production and unsafe manufacturing killing people, our disposal practices harming local economies to those who need it most). It's easy to think - that's the other side of the world, or just how it is in developing countries but we vote with our money and can help our fellow mankind by buying less, buying better and supporting more ethical industries.

As a minimalist I don't buy too many clothes, which also helps the wallet, but I am now far more conscious about checking the labels for the few that I do buy, how long I wear them and how I dispose of them.

Read on for a summary of the many articles I've been reading. Items in quotes are pulled from the full articles referenced at the end of the article.

Production

Synthetics (Rayon, Polyester, Nylon, Acrylics, Pleather)

acrylic and rayon are the most toxic fabrics to produce

Rayon:

"Cellulosic textiles like rayon are often billed as eco-friendly because they are made of plant materials (wood in the case of rayon). But rayon’s manufacturing process is so toxic that it can no longer be manufactured in the United States. To make rayon, you have to harvest a large number of trees or bamboo, shred and churn them into tiny pieces, dissolve the wood bits in a soup of carbon disulfide, then send these vats of viscous glop to a factory to be spun into semi-synthetic fibers. Workers exposed to the fumes emitted during this process can suffer insanity, nerve damage, and increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Factories in China, Indonesia and India expel the resulting effluent straight into waterways, rendering formerly vibrant ecosystems completely dead.
What’s more, many pulp mills that supply these factories are located on the edge of endangered rainforests in Canada, the Amazon, and Indonesia. In the latter country, the mills are exacerbating the fragmentation and destruction of the last remaining habitat of orangutans and Sumatran tigers. A non-profit organization, called Canopy, is diligently working to have rayon producers, and the whole fashion industry, commit to going rainforest-free. Unfortunately, aside from the branded lyocell textiles Modal and Tencel from the Austrian company Lenzing, even rainforest-free certified cellulosic textiles are still being manufactured in the same toxic manner."

Polyester:

"Polyester might be even worse. Made from petroleum, polyester is essentially a plastic thread, which has increasingly infiltrated the world’s oceans and rivers. In a recent study that examined tap water samples in a dozen countries, 83 percent of those samples were contaminated with synthetic microfibers. These plastic microfibers attract contaminants and toxins while floating in the water, which are then consumed by marine life. One study showed microfibers in the guts of a third of the fish caught off the coast of California. Another showed that crabs that ingest synthetic fibers eat less, which stunts their growth."

Pleather (a synthetic polymer blend coated with plastic):

"The coating comes in two varieties: polyurethane (PU) and polyvinylchloride (PVC). The former is indeed eco-friendly(ish), but it’s expensive. The latter is cheaper but more toxic, off-gassing dioxins when in the hands of consumers."

Natural Fibers (Silk, Leather, Wool, Cotton, Hemp, Linen)

Silk:

5,000 silk worms need to die to make 1 pound of silk

Leather:

Animals have to die (though if you're not vegetarian these animals were going to die for food anyway)
Raising livestock uses tons of water; releases methane (a potent greenhouse gas); and is a primary driver of deforestation in Brazil
Leather tanning is notoriously toxic which poisons local people, poultry, and aquatic life
High carbon emissions

On the good side:

"It turns out that if livestock are raised more naturally—on dry grasslands where their kind grew up, instead of on cleared rainforests or in over-crowded feedlots—they can make arid land fertile. That change, along with innovations in livestock feed, also can reduce the methane gas they generate. In many cases eating meat is a more efficient way to consume calories than depending only on plants; in fact, one study found that a vegan diet actually requires more land use than a vegetarian and some omnivorous diets. A good leather jacket, belt, or pair of shoes will last years, if not generations" and therefore more sustainable in that respect.

Wool:

High carbon emissions
Raising livestock uses tons of water and releases methane (a potent greenhouse gas)

On the good side though:

"It is renewable in the extreme, since the shearing process leaves the animal free to live another day and grow more. And it creates a high-performance textile that requires minimal processing, which means virtually no pollution.

Even better, wool has the potential to help the fashion industry produce “climate positive fashion.” If raised in a way that mimics the movements of wild herbivores, sheep can play a large role reverting grasslands to their most natural state. This helps keep carbon in the soil instead of gassing off as carbon dioxide, thereby adding to global warming."

In argument against PETA's claims that sheep are mistreated - Sheep need to be shorn: "If left unshorn, domesticated sheep will grow so much wool that they may suffer from heat stress, go wool blind, and in rare cases be unable to get up after lying down, and die."

Non-organic Cotton:

Uses huge amounts of fresh water to cultivate - One kg of textile material requires approximately 100 – 150 litres of water. (That’s over 600 glasses)
Uses significant herbicides and insecticides - polluting soil, waterways and local ecosystems, ultimately impacting human health

Dyes:

It is estimated that around 20% of the world’s industrial water pollution comes from the treatment and dying of textiles.

Hemp/Linen:

These seem to be the only two materials at this point that do almost no harm to animals or the environment. They also have many more non-clothing related uses which I'll delve into below.

Fast fashion (cheap accessible clothes)

"Textile waste is an unintended consequence of fast fashion, as more people buy more clothes and don’t keep them as long as they used to. The international expansion of fast fashion retailers exacerbates the problem on a global scale. Wardrobes in developed nations are saturated, so in order to sell more products, retailers must tempt shoppers with constant newness and convince them the items they already have are no longer fashionable.
Increasing disposable income levels over recent generations means there is less need to “make do and mend”, as it’s often cheaper and more convenient to buy new than have an item repaired. Busy lifestyles make many people more time-poor than previous generations, and with the loss of sewing and mending skills over time, there is less impetus to repair our garments. The rise of supermarket fashion that can be purchased alongside the weekly shop and the regular occurrence of seasonal sales make clothing seem “disposable” in a way it didn’t used to be."

Use

Washing synthetic clothing releases microfibers of plastic which are too small for wastewater treatment plants to filter out. These then end up back in our food chain and although we don't yet know the impact of digesting these microfibers we do know that the toxins absorbed by aquatic life can transfer to their tissue, cause gut impaction, hormone disruption, and liver damage. If it has that impact on the fish we eat I can only imagine it is passed onto us as well. We are afterall what we eat.

Right now, it’s estimated that fibers are, by count, the single largest contributor to watershed plastic pollution in developed countries and account for a significant portion of plastic waste entering the ocean.

Disposal

You may think that donating your clothes to those in need is the eco-friendly thing to do but unfortunately it's not as effective as you think.

"Only a small portion — about 20 percent — of Americans' used clothing, including those sent to consignment shops, are being sold at secondhand retail outlets and thrift stores in the U.S. Far more are being shipped to developing areas like sub-Saharan Africa, South America and China — in fact, the U.S. sends away a full billion pounds of used clothing per year, making it our eighth largest export — where clothes are bought in 1,000-pound bales, sorted and then resold to the local populace, sometimes wreaking havoc on local industries by taking jobs away from local textile workers. Another 45 percent is recycled through one of the U.S.'s 3,000-odd textile recycling facilities. And the rest? That ends up in landfills. Eleven percent of donations made to Goodwill in 2014, for example, were deemed unsaleable and carted to landfills — about 22 million pounds in all — costing the organization millions of dollars in transport fees and other expenses."

So what can we do?

In order of environmental impact:

1. Reduce what you buy

Self explanatory: the less you buy the less resources/chemicals are used, less animals and humans harmed

2. Repair what you have

Delay your clothes from going to landfill, stop supporting fast fashion by repairing what you have instead of donating or throwing away

3. Buy second-hand natural fibers

Less virgin resources are used
Less microfibers get into our oceans (these only come from synthetics)
Contributes to circular economy

4. If you must buy new: Support the hemp/linen industry (buy better/items to last)

These seem to be the only two materials at this point that do almost no harm to animals or the environment

5. If you must buy new: Support the recycled/organic fiber industry (buy better/items to last)

Less virgin resources consumed (than non-recycled)
Less chemical/pesticide use (than non-organic)

If you're any way in a position or inclined: buy a hemp/flax farm, run it and make sustainable clothes for the masses.

The many other uses of hemp:

"Human food
Hemp is high in essential fatty acids and amino acids. These are important to your diet. You can crush the hemp seed and make oil or flour.
Pet Food and Bedding
The hemp plant can be used in pet food since it has so many healthy proteins. When given to cats, it makes their coats shiny and healthy. It can also be used as a dietary supplement for nourishing dogs, cows and horses. Hemp seeds are also enjoyed by birds. Hemp uses also include pet bedding for animals such as guinea pigs, rats and other rodents. It is good to use in cat litter.
Body Oil and Lotions
The hemp plant is known for containing oils used in body lotions and essential oils. It has an EFA content, which aids in the regeneration of cracked and dry skin. It is an amazing moisturizer.
Oil Based Products
Hemp uses include oil for candles, lanterns and paint. The oil from hemp is used to make any oil based products. Paint is one of them. In fact, when used to make paint, you will find that the paint job last much longer. Hemp oil is non-toxic and not harmful to the environment.
Clothing
Hemp is used to manufacture clothing such as jeans and sport clothing, lingerie and other high fashion apparel. Hemp uses makes clothing last longer. Some of the celebrity clothing labels that use hemp fibers are Ralph Lauren, Armani and Calvin Klein.
It is more breathable than cotton
Plastic
Plastic products made from hemp are usually biodegradable and can aid in reducing landfills. In the past, hemp uses spanned packing materials and products like CD jewel cases.
Paper
Paper is sometimes made using hemp. It is more economical to use hemp to make paper. It saves the trees and protects the wildlife and forests. This is a nice way to protect the environment.
Hemp paper also doesn't yellow over time which regular paper does.
Construction Materials
Hemp plant can make strong and durable materials for construction. For example, cement made from hemp uses minerals and core fibers. When hemp is used to make homes, there is stronger resistance to bad weather and less damage incurred during bad weather.
Fuel
Hemp uses includes making fuel such as bio-diesel. The petroleum industry has embraced the use of hemp in making its products. Ethanol production is also popular in the hemp industry."

In terms of farming hemp:

"Industrial hemp doesn’t require herbicides.
Because hemp is such a fast growing plant it provides a canopy within 5-6 weeks that most weeds cannot penetrate, meaning less costs for you.
There are fewer biological pests to industrial hemp.
So you don’t have to spend a fortune in insecticides.
Hemp can be used to restore depleted soils.
Studies have shown that hemp can be used as a “mop” crop on soils that have been heavily damaged by chemical use.
Hemp is easy to grow as it is a strong and hardy plant.
So that means less stress for you.
You don’t need special machinery to harvest hemp.
A simple brush cutter is enough for some crops and means that as a farmer you probably already have easy access to a harvester.
You can grow hemp on as little as 1 hectare
or much bigger depending on the land available to you.
Industrial hemp is profitable.
The demand for hemp means that you can make money compared to most crops with declining economic returns.
Industrial hemp is being recognised by governments around the world as being an ecologically friendly crop.
This means you can do your bit for the environment while still putting money in YOUR pocket.
There are professional bodies promoting the growing and use of hemp."

According to one article farmers in over 30 countries are making up to $1,500 per hectare just by growing hemp.

The many other uses of flax

Similar to the above list, flax can be used for

Fibres
When used in combination with jute and hemp fibres flax can be used to replace fibreglass.
Also used to make linen which is cooler and more comfortable than cotton
Paper, plastic and insulation
Flax seed oil
Used for manufacturing linoleum, paints and coatings
"Also used as a plasticizer in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and other vinyl resins. Epoxidized linseed (flax) oil (ELO) is produced commercially and is used as a plasticizer in reactive diluents. It is also used as a toughening agent for commercial epoxy resin and as a binder for cationic UV-coatings and inks.

PVC resin is widely used globally for a variety of end-uses such as flexible packaging, bags, medical products, toys, tubes, flooring, etc. For all the flexible, as well as semi-rigid, PVC applications, the rigid resin needs to be plasticized so it can be extruded into useful articles with required strength, toughness, flexibility and other properties.

Longer term significant opportunity areas for industrial use of flaxseed oil includes reactive diluents; reactive coalescents; water-based and powder coatings; and as replacements for phthalate plasticizers in PVC."