1. Introduction
The market for sustainable fabrics has become progressively popular over the past few years as people everywhere become increasingly aware of the environment. With industries and consumers looking for sustainable alternatives, natural fibers such as hemp and cotton are entering the fray. Hemp fabrics are well known for their durability and sustainability, while cotton is still one of the most widely used fabrics in the world.
This article aims to explain the hemp and cotton fibres from the perspective of sustainability, performance and versatility. They’re both natural fibres, but they are completely different in many ways, from how they’re grown and shaped to their properties and uses. As we dive deeper into these two fibres, we hope that this will help customers and manufacturers to make decisions about the fabric that suits their situation.
2. Hemp and Cotton: Basic Overview
What is Hemp?
Hemp, a strain of Cannabis sativa, is a different species than marijuana because its THC, the psychoactive ingredient found in marijuana, has extremely low levels. The cultivation of hemp is millennia old, with traces of use dating to ancient China, Egypt and Mesopotamia. We’ve used it to make textiles, ropes, sails, even paper. In recent years, hemp has returned to the market as a sustainable alternative to other fabrics.
Hemp fibers are extracted from the stalk of the hemp plant, which is tall, straight, and grows up to 15 feet high. The stalk fibres are long, dense and resilient, making them ideal for fabrics, ropes and industrial goods. The versatility of hemp is another feature because hemp can be used to produce everything from clothing to construction materials.
What is Cotton?
Cotton, however, is a product of the cotton plant, or rather the fuzziness that surrounds the cotton seeds. It has been cultivated for millennia, its origins reaching back to ancient India, Egypt and Central America. This is the most popular fibre, especially cotton, in the world. Cotton is known for its gentleness, breathability and versatility and is commonly used to make clothes, bedding, towels and other household fabrics.
In contrast to hemp, cotton needs a warm climate and ample water to grow well. It tends to be cultivated in hot summers and moist, tropical climates, such as parts of the United States, India, China and Africa. Cotton fibers are shorter and finer than hemp fibers, which gives cotton fabrics their luxurious texture but renders them less durable than hemp for some applications.
Also Read : Properties of Hemp Fabric
3. Environmental Impact
The first thing to consider when deciding between hemp and cotton is environmental benefits. Both fibres are plant-based, but their practices of cultivation, production and destruction impact the planet in radically different ways. Let’s dive into a few important parts of their environmental footprint, such as water, pesticides and fertilisers, and soil quality.
Water Usage
- Hemp Water Efficiency: Hemp is much more water efficient than cotton. The plant needs far less water to produce, especially when water resources are scarce. Hemp’s deep roots draw water from deeper soils, minimizing its need for surface watering. This makes hemp an even more water-efficient crop. In addition, hemp’s fast-growing nature — typically in 3-4 months — lowers water use in general compared with slower-growing crops such as cotton.
- Cotton’s Water Consumption: Cotton, in turn, is extremely water-containing. The water used to produce cotton is huge, with some estimating that it requires as much as 2,700 litres of water to make one cotton t-shirt. The water-intensive operation of cotton production poses a significant environmental issue, especially in areas with scarce water. Cotton crops tend to require intensive irrigation, exhausting the regional water resources and causing damage to surrounding environments.
In some places, like the Aral Sea basin, the excessive irrigation of cotton plantations has narrowed the Aral Sea and brought severe ecological and environmental degradation. This highlights the ecological pressure cotton places on water, rendering it an unsustainable crop in places where water resources are scarce.
Pesticide and Fertilizer Use
- Hemp’s Natural Pest Resilience: Hemp naturally resists pests and diseases, which saves the use of chemical pesticides. Hemp production actually requires little or no pesticides, making it a much more sustainable crop. The natural pest resistance of hemp comes in part from hemp’s fibrous texture and the plant’s fast growth rate, defeating weeds and avoiding chemical treatments. Thus, hemp cultivation requires very little in the way of pesticides, leaving healthier ecosystems and less water and soil to pollute.
- Chemical Dependence of Cotton: Currently, the cotton industry is highly dependent on chemical pesticides and fertilisers. Quite simply, cotton is one of the world’s most pesticide-ridden crops and accounts for a large portion of all its use. In cotton production, the use of pesticides has devastating impacts on wildlife, soils and waterways. Further, excessive application of chemical fertilisers may lead to soil erosion and water pollution, which can exacerbate the effects of cotton production on the environment.
Across most cotton fields, the widespread application of pesticides and fertilisers has cast doubt over the long-term viability of soil and vegetation. These same chemicals in cotton production are potentially toxic to the farmers and surrounding communities, making dependence on them a real threat to human health and sustainability.
Soil Health
- Hemp’s Effect on Soil Health: One of hemp’s unique qualities is its capacity to enhance soil health. The roots of hemp plants provide a rich root system that prevents soil erosion and improves soil quality. Because hemp grows quickly, it can also be rotated with other crops to keep soil healthy. This makes hemp a good crop rotation partner, since it returns nutrients to the soil and minimizes chemical fertilisers.
Hemp is also eco-friendly because it captures carbon in the soil. Hemp seeds release carbon dioxide as they grow, and once the fibers are processed for textiles or other products, the carbon gets locked away, limiting climate change.
- Cotton Production and Soil Degradation: The soil degradation that can occur due to cotton production can be detrimental to the soils. Cotton tends to be produced in monocultures, planted the same way year after year. This practise depletes the soil of vital nutrients and inevitably degrades the soil. To combat this, cotton farmers often use artificial fertilisers to resupply soil nutrients. Yet fertiliser can cause nutrient imbalances and harm the soil’s long-term fertility. Additionally, cotton is heavily irrigated, further contributing to soil degradation, especially where water is taken from groundwater sources, salinising soils and progressively deteriorating the land.
In contrast, hemp’s regenerative farming techniques conserve soil quality and evade erosion, making it a more sustainable option for landowners who desire to maintain land quality.
4. Growth Cycle and Sustainability
Growth cycle and survival are two of the major dimensions of a plant’s environmental performance. Hemp and cotton are staple textile crops, yet their growing methods vary in ways that have significant consequences for their sustainability. The amount of time it takes each plant to mature, the amount of land they require and the carbon they emit will determine which fibre is more sustainable in the long term.
Growth Time
- Hemp’s High Growth Rate: One of the most impressive attributes of hemp is its high growth rate. Hemp will mature in just 3–4 months, depending on growth rates. This rapid production turnaround makes hemp a very profitable crop, with growers able to harvest multiple crops within the same year, particularly in temperate regions. The plant’s rapid growth also means that it can be harvested before pests and diseases can seriously harm the crops, minimising pesticide applications.
- Cotton’s Slower Growth Cycle: By comparison, cotton matures very slowly, with the plant taking about 5–6 months to flower, grow, and produce its cotton bolls. Such a sluggish growth cycle means that growers can only cultivate one crop of cotton each year, limiting the fibre available on a single acre. The extended season also puts cotton at higher risk for pest attacks and severe weather, which may depress crop production.
The shorter growth period of hemp makes it uniquely sustainable in that it will replant the land quicker, rotate crops better, and have fewer long-term effects on the environment. That’s what allows hemp, which grows rapidly, to capture carbon quicker than slower-growing crops such as cotton.
Land Use and Space Efficiency
- Hemp’s Higher Yield per Acre: Another area where hemp excels is land efficiency. Hemp requires far less land to yield the same amount of fibre as cotton. Hemp’s hardiness of growth means it yields lots of fibre per acre, and thus occupies very little land. Its higher yield means less land is needed to generate the same amount of textile fibre, which may help minimise deforestation and soil degradation associated with large-scale cotton production.
- Cotton’s Land Requirements: By contrast, cotton farming uses significantly more land to yield the same quantity of cloth. Cotton plants are grafted more widely and, because the plant has a slower growth rate, it takes longer and draws more resources to achieve the maximum yield. This leaves cotton crops with an unwieldy footprint and involves frequently destroying ecosystems in order to support cotton fields.
As worries over deforestation and habitat destruction mount worldwide, hemp’s higher acreage yield makes it an attractive alternative to conventional agriculture. Growing hemp rather than cotton might ease land stress and diminish the ecological damage caused by cotton farming on a massive scale.
Carbon Footprint
- Hemp’s Carbon Footprint: Hemp is a carbon-negative crop, which means that the plant extracts more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during the growth cycle than it emits during the production and processing processes. Because of its speed of growth, deep roots and massive biomass, the plant can store massive amounts of carbon. Indeed, researchers have calculated that hemp has been shown to trap as much as 1.6 tons of carbon dioxide per tonne of hemp harvested.
- Cotton’s Impact on Greenhouse Gas Emissions: While still a natural fibre, cotton isn’t carbon-negative. Cotton production, especially when cultivated under intense irrigation and chemical fertilisers, generates substantial greenhouse gas emissions. The production and transportation of cotton textiles are also carbon intensive as cotton requires huge amounts of water and synthetic fertiliser, which can both lead to major environmental impacts.
This contributes to the carbon footprint of cotton farming – particularly in places where irrigation involves fossil-fuel pumps, or synthetic fertilisers and pesticides are heavily employed. In contrast, hemp is a far more sustainable option because it captures carbon and increases soil fertility.
5. Durability and Strength
Both hemp and cotton have their strengths and weaknesses in terms of durability and strength. The inherent characteristics of these fibers determine their suitability for various apparel and industrial applications.
Hemp’s Strength and Durability
- Strong Hemp Fibers: Hemp fibers are naturally durable and strong which makes them extremely wear resistant. Hemp fibres are up to three times stronger than cotton fibres, and this makes hemp fabrics last much longer, even if used extensively. This makes hemp the ideal fabric for items that are subject to extreme loads, like garments, clothing, rope, and upholstery.
So hemp clothes are also not as susceptible to UV rays, mould, and mildew, which is what prolongs the lifespan. The hemp fabric is made in such a way that it can take the harsh weather and maintain its look and function long-term.
- How Hemp Holds Up To Wear and Tear: Hemp fabric’s durable fibers prevent fading, fraying and stretching, which makes it ideal for clothes that must hold their shape and shape over time. In an example, a pair of long-lasting hemp pants or an outdoor jacket, hemp’s toughness prevents the fabric from being ripped or torn.
Cotton’s Durability
- The Durability of Cotton Fabrics: Although cotton is less durable than hemp, it can still hold up fairly well provided it is maintained. Cotton fabrics can withstand wear and tear if used in lighter fabrics, such as shirts, dresses, or sheets. But cotton will pill, fade and shrink more easily, particularly after repeated washes. That shortens the life of cotton products, which in the long run are not as robust as hemp.
- Common Problems with Cotton Fabrics: Cotton fabrics often experience problems such as pilling (getting small fuzzy balls formed on the surface), fading and shrinkage over time. Because cotton’s fibers are much less durable than hemp’s, cotton textiles will not last as long. What’s more, cotton clothes tend to stretch or fold more readily, if exposed to heavy use or frequent washing.
Hemp’s high strength and resilience make it the best choice for durable products, especially those that are regularly used or exposed to the elements.
Use in Apparel
- Ideal Clothing Fabrics Hemp vs. Cotton: Hemp is recommended for clothing that requires extra strength and durability, like jackets, pants, office wear, and hiking apparel. Its durable fibres make it ideal for products that require durability in harsh environments. Hemp blends with other fabrics (like organic cotton or recycled polyester) are increasingly also being used for regular clothing, such as shirts, skirts and dresses, as the blends provide both the durability of hemp and the comfort of cotton.
Cotton, however, is ideal for light, delicate garments such as t-shirts, underwear and casual wear. Because of its breathable qualities and softness, cotton is perfect for garments that touch the skin or are meant to be used repeatedly. Although it’s less durable than hemp, cotton has a knack for comfort and adaptability across a variety of garments.
6. Comfort and Feel
Choosing between hemp and cotton is all about comfort. Both fibres have their own advantages, but in textiles they produce very different textures. Athability, softness, and temperature control are all factors that affect how a fabric feels on the skin.
Breathability and Moisture-Wicking
- How Hemp Fabric Breathes and Wicks Moisture As Compared to Cotton: Hemp fabric has breathability and moisture wicking properties, making the wearer dry and comfortable in both the warm and the cold season. Since the natural weave of hemp fibers enables air to freely move through it, it keeps your body cool and prevents you from overheating. This is why hemp fabrics are ideal for outdoorswear, industrial clothing, and sportswear.
So does cotton, which is more breathable, but not as moisture-wicking as hemp. Cotton threads will absorb moisture, but also trap it in the fabric, leaving it damp and bulky during hot conditions. Hemp, by contrast, traps sweat away from the skin, keeping you cool and supple during exercise.
Softness and Texture
- Hemp’s Texture Before vs. After Processing: Although hemp is coarser than cotton, using contemporary processes including enzyme washing and softening can turn hemp fabric into something extremely soft and comfortable to wear. Hemp becomes more tactile when it is worn and washed, and softens as it is used.
- Cotton’s Skin Orientation: By nature, cotton is smooth and soft so it feels nice against your skin. Cotton fabric needs little or no softening treatments, and can often remain soft even after repeated washings. Due to the organic feel of cotton, it is an ideal fabric for casual wear and daily wear, including t-shirts and loungewear.
Temperature Regulation
- Hemp’s Temperature Regulating Action: Hemp’s thermoregulating properties are suitable for hot as well as cold environments. The airiness and moisture wicking nature of hemp means it can keep the wearer cool in the summer, warm in the winter. Hemp fibers can hold air inside the fabric and keep it warm when cold and let it flow when hot.
- Cotton’s Breathability in Other Weathers: Cotton, too, feels comfortable in other weathers, but particularly warm weather because of its lightness and breathable. Cotton, which is not as heat-resistant as hemp, is suitable for climates with high temperatures.
7. Versatility and Applications
Hemp and cotton have both established themselves as fundamental fibers in the textile industry, but their attributes define their different uses. Although hemp, a multipurpose fibre, has had a renaissance over the past few years because of its eco-friendliness, cotton still holds the majority of the textile markets around the world due to its softness and comfort. In this article, we’ll compare the different usages of hemp and cotton for clothing, household textiles and industry, and how each is utilized for different uses and industries.
Clothing and Fashion
The Top Clothes Out There – Hemp vs. Cotton.
Hemp’s rise to fashion popularity is fueled by sustainability, strength and its unique feel. While cotton is still the dominant fabric in the apparel industry, hemp’s durability and versatility make it an ideal fabric for eco-conscious consumers seeking long-lasting and multi-purpose garments. The following table compares common apparel articles made of both fibres.
- Hemp Dresses: The popularity of hemp clothing is increasing among clothing types, especially work wear, camping gear and casual wear. Hemp shirts, pants, jackets and dresses are increasingly available in sustainable clothing lines. Hemp fibers are naturally strong, durable, and abrasion resistant, which makes it the perfect fabric for clothing used in heavy-duty activities. In addition, hemp blends with other fibres such as organic cotton, recycled polyester or silk, offering both the strength of hemp and the comfort of cotton.
Hemp has also made its way into activewear, as it wicks moisture to keep you dry during exercise. Hemp garments have more structure and wear than cotton and are also UV resistant and breathable.
- Cotton Clothing: Cotton has continued to be used for a vast variety of garments, because of its softness, comfort and airiness. Cotton is used in t-shirts, jeans, dresses, socks and underwear because it feels so good on the skin. It is also a cheap material, so cotton is a popular choice for garments produced in large numbers.
But cotton fabric, particularly pure cotton, tends to stretch or shrink over time. Cotton, while airy and soft, is less durable and robust than hemp and tends to fade faster. In addition, its mediocre moisture-wicking capacity also means it might not be as effective as hemp in certain environments or for sportswear.
Home Textiles
Applications: Bed Sheets, Curtains, Upholstery.
Both hemp and cotton have extensive domestic textile uses. But each fiber has unique properties that will suit certain needs around the house. The long-lasting, antimicrobial properties of hemp make it ideal for heavy-duty home textiles, and the plushness of cotton works well for bedding and everyday fabrics.
- Hemp In Home Fabrics: The hemp fabric is being widely used in bedsheets, blankets, and curtains because of its durability and hardness. The natural antibacterial and antimicrobial properties of hemp keep the hygiene factor up, making it an ideal option for mattress covers, pillowcases, and sheets. Hemp fibers are also resistant to mold and mildew, making them more fresh and eco-friendly.
Hemp’s coarse texture is usually rounded out by several processing methods to make it more user-friendly at home. Hemp canvas, due to its robust nature, is a popular upholstery fabric which is a strong, environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic fabrics. Moreover, hemp is commonly used in eco-friendly interior design for floors, wall hangings and even eco-friendly furniture upholstery.
- Cotton in Home Fabrics: Cotton is widely used for bedding, towels, and curtains because of its gentleness and resiliency. Cotton sheets are typically lightweight, airy, and comfortable to sleep on, which is why they are the best choice for most consumers. Cotton towels are highly absorbent and softer, so they’re perfect for everyday bathroom usage.
It is also an extensively used fabric for curtains, tablecloths, and pillows owing to its versatility and wide range of patterns, colors, and textures. Yet cotton will wrinkle and shrink more than hemp, and its strength might not last as long, particularly in high-demand uses such as upholstery.
Industrial Applications
Hemp in Ropes, Canvases and Composites vs Cotton in Textiles and Other Products
Both hemp and cotton are industrially useful, although hemp is best-known for use in heavy materials because of its inherent strength and toughness. Hemp’s versatility as a industrial product derives from its high tensile strength, which allows it to be used in products that demand strength and endurance.
Hemp Uses In Industry: Hemp was used as rope, sails, and other industrial materials for centuries due to its durability. Indeed, before the commercial adoption of artificial fibres, hemp was the most common fibre used to produce ropes and cables for the maritime industry. Even today, hemp ropes and twines are still widely used in agriculture, construction and marine applications as they are more durable than cotton ropes and twines.
Hemp is also used in the manufacture of hemp-based composites, which are used in construction, automotive and packaging applications. These composites – hemp fibres and resins – are robust, lightweight and environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional plastics. Hemp plays an increasingly important role in these industries as organizations look for environmentally friendly and sustainable materials to minimize their environmental footprint.
Hemp is also used to produce sustainable insulation and paper products, such as biodegradable packaging. Hemp’s versatility also makes it a popular choice for sustainable industries that need high strength-to-weight ratios.
- Cotton for Industrial Use: Cotton is mostly used in textiles, but has also found its way into medical bandages, diapers, even the automotive sector, where cotton fibers are present in some composite materials. But in industrial use, cotton is not as robust or durable as hemp.
We primarily use cotton to produce clothing, home textiles and other lightweight materials. Though cotton can be resilient, it typically outlasts hemp-based products in industrial and outdoor use.
8. Biodegradability and End-of-Life Impact
In an age of increasing environmental consciousness, biodegradability has become an important metric for materials’ sustainability. Hemp and cotton are both biodegradable but not at the same rate of degradation, and they have distinct societal end-of-life effects.
Hemp’s Biodegradability
How Hemp Fabric Decomposes and Its Ecological Benefits.
Hemp is a perfectly biodegradable fibre, and when natural breakdown occurs it leaves little residue behind. Hemp cloth will decompose in its natural course, unlike artificial fibers such as polyester or nylon, without releasing toxic microplastics into the soil or water. The biodegradability of hemp is a key feature to make hemp suitable for sustainable clothing and textiles. When broken down, hemp fibre adds organic matter to the soil, helps stabilize soils and supports nutrient cycling.
Beyond natural decomposition, hemp fiber is far more ecologically benign than artificial fibers. When crushed, they do not emit harmful chemicals or contaminants into the environment, which makes hemp a renewable option for textiles and other uses where biodegradability is of concern.
Cotton’s Biodegradability
Cotton’s Natural Decomposing Properties
Cotton, like hemp, is a natural, biodegradable fibre. Cotton fabrics decay with exposure to water, sunlight, and microbes. But cotton is not as easily dissolved as hemp, and its decay may spill toxic chemicals into the ground if the cotton has been fertilised with pesticides, herbicides or artificial dyes. Such chemicals will interfere with the fabric’s natural processes and pollute the ground.
Furthermore, the degradation of cotton fabrics may also lead to microplastic contamination if artificial fibers are combined with cotton in the production process. This is one of the biggest concerns regarding the long-term sustainability of cotton textiles, particularly synthetically added cotton ones.
Variation in Biodegradability and Environmental Emissions Speed
Both hemp and cotton are biodegradable, though hemp is less harmful to the environment and degrades faster than cotton. Because hemp breaks down quicker, hemp products do not create chronic waste in landfills or degrade ecosystems. By contrast, cotton’s slower degradation and the potential pesticide pollution of its products render it less eco-friendly than hemp.
9. Cost Comparison
Production Costs
Growing and Harvesting Hemp vs. Cotton Costs
Hemp has a higher initial production cost than cotton. Hemp cultivation requires specialised machinery for cultivation, cutting and processing. Although hemp requires fewer pesticides and fertilisers, the infrastructure for turning hemp fibres into textiles can be more costly, requiring special machinery. This can make hemp an expensive crop to plant and harvest in the first place.
Cotton, however, has its own infrastructure and is far more extensively grown around the world. Its general availability reduces the production cost. Cotton crops often have economies of scale, which makes cotton farming and harvesting cheaper than hemp.
Manufacturing Process
Hemp Processing vs. Cotton Processing
Processing hemp involves several processes that are more laborious than cotton processing. Hemp had to be retted (that is, pulled away from the plant) and politely spun into yarn and then woven or knitted into cloth. This requires expensive machines and skills, adding to the overall cost of hemp fabric manufacturing.
However, cotton production is a long established and relatively cheap process. Cotton fibres are cut, ginned (split from the seed) and spun into yarn with far less complexity than hemp. This efficient processing also translates into lower manufacturing costs.
Price for Consumers
Why Hemp Fabric Could Be More Expensive in the Long Run Than Cotton?
Because hemp production is more expensive to grow, harvest and process, hemp fabrics are typically more expensive than cotton. Hemp fabric will not be cheap in the short run, but it will yield a high quality, long-term, and environmentally sustainable product in the long run. Hemp fabrics could be a good purchase for those who value sustainability and longevity.
10. What Is The Difference Between Hemp and Cotton?
Hemp Pros and Cons
Strengths:
- Sustainability: Hemp uses less water and less pesticide to grow and is therefore an environmentally sound crop.
- Strength & Durability: Hemp fabrics are more durable than cotton and are resistant to wear and tear, UV light, and mildew.
- Convenience: Hemp can be used in multiple products, from clothing to industrial products.
- Biodegradability: Hemp is completely biodegradable, and when it breaks down it churns nutrients into the soil.
Drawbacks:
- More expensive: Hemp products are more expensive because of the growing, harvesting, and processing costs.
- Lack of Access: Although hemp is becoming increasingly popular, there are still regional limitations on availability, both in terms of regulation and infrastructure.
Cotton Pros and Cons
Strengths:
- Comfort: Cotton is soft and comfortable to use which makes it ideal for clothing and household fabrics.
- Cost-Effectiveness: Cotton is more cheap than hemp because it is produced on large scales and already processed.
- Universal Access: Cotton is widely used in numerous industries around the world.
Drawbacks:
- Constant Water Use: Cotton farming requires a large amount of water, making it inaccessible in some places.
- Pesticide Use: Cotton is an extremely pesticide-dependent crop, and this has ecological and health implications.
- Monoculture farming destroys soils: Monoculture farming destroys soils during cotton production.
Dhanya Nair is a fabric Lover and a mom. She offers a unique perspective on the intricacies and history of fabric and specializes in bringing the unique narratives of textiles to life.