Hemp Clothing - Your Second Natural Skin

Image by lux2night via FlickrBy Nadia Ruseva

Hemp clothing is strong, long lasting and doesn't wrinkle. It keeps the coolness of linen and has the softness of cotton.

If compared to cotton, hemp fibers are longer, stronger, more absorbent, more mildew and microbe-resistant as well as more insulative. In other words, hemp clothing will keep you warmer in winter and cooler in summer than cotton.

Apart from all these qualities, hemp is one of the most ecologically friendly plants. When grown organically, hemp fiber 'breathes' and is biodegradable. Briefly, hemp clothing looks great, feels good, and protects the planet, too.

From field to fabric - natural fiber clothing

Hemp is one of the most ecologically friendly fibers. Hemp plant doesn't need pesticides as it is naturally pest resistant. When hemp is grown in rotation, it has been known to reduce the pests in future crops. Hemp does not require herbicides, because it is grown so densely that other plants can't co-live with it.

Finally, hemp needs little or no fertilizers and it returns most of the nutrients it takes from the soil. All this makes hemp easy to be grown organically. On top of it, the plant grows between 80-120 days and adjusts to many climate zones.

From fabric to clothing - how hemp turns into organic clothing

In creating eco-friendly, organic hemp clothing, growing is only part of the job. Turning fiber into fabric and fabric into hemp clothing must also be done using processes that are healthy both to the individual and the environment.

Modern methods, however, mostly rely on chemical rather than mechanical processes because they save time and money. For hemp clothing to be considered organic none of the processes in creating hemp fabric should involve synthetic chemicals.

Hemp clothing can be dyed or stay with its "natural" color, which is simply the natural beige color of the hemp fibers after processing. That's why hemp clothes with a "natural" color can vary greatly in shades. By the way, hemp fibers are more absorbent to dyes and better screen out UV rays than cotton. This means that the color of hemp clothing fades more slowly than the color of cotton.

Finally, hemp can be made into many fabrics, including linen. When mixed with cotton, linen, or silk, hemp provides a sturdier, longer lasting textile of high quality and softness.

Is your hemp clothing really organic?

In case you want to know for sure if the hemp clothes you buy are really organic, look for an organic certification label. Because the National Organic Program standards apply to food only, you will not see a USDA Organic seal on clothes. Instead, look for the label of the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). While other eco-labels for clothing and fabrics address raw materials, or chemical finishes, or labor standards, the GOTS certification is the ONLY one that addresses all of the processes.

Nadia Ruseva is a mom, who in search of some tips to raise her child healthy, found a whole new world of inspiration and ideas about how to be healthy and beautiful inside and out... about how to make a difference.

Her website I Prefer Organic is about healthy, natural, eco-friendly and organic alternatives to conventional products as well as tips, recipes and reviews related to organic and sustainable living, fair trade and vegan products.

Visit Nadia to have a chat, discuss a cause, share a view or just to look around for something interesting or inspiring.

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Vegan Clothing Fashion Trends for 2012 - Ethical Fashion or Just Plain Hype?

Image via WikipediaBy Tristan Black

What exactly do several a-list celebrities and passionate Hindu's have in common? They are living the vegan lifestyle.

More and more people today than in the past are opting for the vegan life-style as vegan clothing fashion research has reveal that turning into vegan is "cool", "hip", "sexy" and "trendy". This might be true however vegetable centered diet programs may also be extremely healthy, and a lot of people have opted to be vegan to benefit their own health.

Vegetarians possess reduced total body weights, low levels of cholesterol, low blood pressure levels, in addition to reduce rates of cardiovascular disease and diabetic issues. Style developments for 2012 demonstrate that vegan clothing is scorching hawt haut between vegans and non vegans alike. Vegan outfits are highly affected by acclaimed vegans for example Ellen Degeneres as well as Pamela Anderson.

In accordance wit market research this particular trend is here now to stay simply because a lot more people aren't just taking pleasure in the health advantages associated with a vegan way of life but additionally the ecological and ethical advantages too. "We are witnessing a real change from conventional vegetarianism to a more 'social, individual life-style option", "Vegans are not only looking for vegan clothing but also creating a statement using their budgets and having an influence on their friends around them, and merchants are being attentive!".

Merchants these days are including additional vegan clothing and ethical items inside their merchandise catalogs and of course if imitation could be the greatest type of flattery, you shouldn't be amazed to view veggie wordplay with items for example "tofurkey", a tofu item supposed to imitate turkey, or "Vegan fur", an animal free vegetarian synthetic leather/fur substitute.

So what exactly is the main difference from a vegetarian and a vegan anyhow? The lines are frequently fuzzy but the important variation is that vegans not just steer clear of consuming animal centered items, which represents your standard vegetarian, but also keep away from every animal produced items completely. But hang on, there is also a third classification of herbivores referred to as "Raw Vegans".

Raw vegans are just like vegan however they don't cook their food items. They declare that preparing food damages its vitamins and minerals and also the cooking procedure itself leads to the development and discharge of dangerous chemicals.

Who are vegans? Information for the market composition of vegans is tough to find nevertheless most vegans are between the ages of 23-36, 65% female 35% male, having a mean home earnings of $60,000. Vegans devote on mean 15 hrs on the web each week and many are participating in on-line social networking web sites, particularly Twitter, Facebook or MySpace, Google Plus, as well as Foursquare.

The developing issues with the atmosphere, personal well being and animal well being have created an outburst of need for vegan clothing and accessories by both serious vegans and non-vegans the same. Increasingly more merchants these days are progressively launching vegan products.

The reason behind the change is the fact that research has revealed that the single biggest influence a person might have on their planetary footprint would be to change to a vegetarian way of life. So if you're worried about your health, style, the earth, and the well being of animals, you might want to consider veganism.

Interested in learning more about the vegan life or vegan clothing? Click here: Vegan Clothing for more vegan fashion tips and vegan product reviews.

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