Pushing hemp ‘beyond 50’
02/10/2025
In a market dominated by cotton, Fashion for Good believes hemp can deliver added performance to products while reducing the industry’s dependence on a cotton, which it says is a “notably resource-intensive” crop.
The integration of hemp into the denim supply chain has remained marginal. It is rarely used in proportions above 20%, due in great part to spinning issues, as well as challenges in achieving the desired hand feel and aesthetics.
The goal of the project, as its name implies, is to validate the use of hemp in greater proportions, from 20% to 50% and beyond. The innovative cottonising process developed by SEFF is said to make hemp “mill-friendly”. It has been described as the “best kept secret in hemp”, and counts Neil Bell as its innovation lead. Fibre52 focuses on green chemistry solutions for dyeing and softening cellulosic-based fabrics.
Beyond50 Denim aims to demonstrate the benefits of collaboration to mainstream hemp use. By “combining breakthrough fibre technology with green chemistry, the project shows how different innovations can work together to tackle long-standing challenges in the denim industry,” commented Katrin Ley, Fashion for Good’s managing director.
Image courtesy of Fashion for Good
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