What is hemp fiber?

Hemp is a bast fiber extracted from the stalk of the hemp plant (Cannabis sativa) and belongs to the Mulberry family (Moraceae). It is believed to be one of the oldest textile materials known to Asians much before the birth of Christ. Hemp plants can be grown in any type of soil and are cultivated for a large variety of products that are obtained from it such as hemp seed food, hemp oil, wax, resins, rope, cloth, pulp, paper and fuel. The height of the hemp plant ranges from 4-15 feet and has a diameter of about 0.75 inches.

The textile fibers are present in the bast layer of the stalk in the form of bundles. The bundles that are present in the inner layer are short and finer than those present in the outer layers.

Hemp is one of the fastest-growing biomasses and is cultivated for high content of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabinoids. The hemp is commonly extracted from female cannabis sativa that have very low levels of THC. Hemp is largely known as textile material with high strength and durability that does not degrade with successive laundering.