“I believe that hemp is going to be the fiber of choice in both the home furnishing and fashion industries” – Calvin Klein, The New York Times
Hemp clothing traditionally did not appeal to a broad consumer base. Rather, it was often oversized, limited in color choices and lacking style. Fair Hemp, the sweatshop-free New York based clothing manufacturer, is breaking from this tradition to create a line of apparel basics that are extremely comfortable, stylish, colorful, and fair in the absolute sense of the word.
April 17, 2006, Brooklyn, New York – WWW.FAIRHEMP.COM — Fair Hemp is pleased to announce a full line of apparel basics that truly demonstrate a commitment to social responsibility in the apparel industry. Consisting of men’s and women’s clothing, baseball caps and accessories, Fair Hemp’s new line is produced under the strictest manufacturing standards and is composed of a hemp and organic cotton blend for maximum comfort and ecofriendliness.
Producing apparel fairly, according to Fair Hemp, consists of more than just ensuring the product is produced under Fair Trade standards; it also implies that there should be a minimal impact on the environment. Thus, all the cotton used in Fair Hemp products is and always has been organic. Typically, cotton is one of the most pesticide laden crops. The use of these chemicals in production has environmental impacts that are far more reaching that the average consumer assumes; pesticide use has been linked to nerve damage, birth defects, cancer, asthma, and Parkinson’s disease.
The use of hemp fiber also has many benefits for our environment. Hemp is a close growing weed, and therefore does not require pesticide treatment. Moreover, its straight fiber structure makes it ideal for sportswear, because it is more difficult for bacteria to cling to it. Hemp does not require the large amounts of fresh water required for cotton production, and it creates a much more durable fabric that offers increased protection from dangerous UV rays from the sun.
Fair Hemp functions under the credo of No Sweatshops, No Pesticides, No Problem, and all of the products are produced under the strictest guidelines, ensuring both fair labor practices and minimal impact on the environment. Fair Hemp was started in 2003 by Alicia DeVito with her brother Alex and have since supplied eco products to wholesale customers throughout the US, UK, Canada, France, Belgium, Spain and Japan. The company was born out of a commitment to produce stylish, modern, comfortable, and practical clothing that would not sacrifice style for social responsibility. Fair Hemp is a Woman Owned Small Business.
“Hemp produces a strong, clean yarn, with a structure that makes the cloth cool in summer, and warm and comfortable in winter” – Giorgio Armani