FAQs about hemp fabric

1) Are hemp and Marijuana the same?

Hemp and Marijuana belong to different species of the Cannabis family and are vastly different from each other as shown in the table below:

2) Is Hemp Legal ?

Yes, cultivation of Industrial Hemp for purposes such as making food, textiles, medicine, paper, etc is  legal in India. The Government of India encourages research and cultivation of cannabis with below 0.3% THC content.

3) Where do you source your products from?

A: Our hemp fabrics on offer are globally produced. We've partnered up with different mills and weavers across the globe to source our hemp fibers, yarns, and fabrics. We procure hemp fibers from Europe, yarns from India and South East Asia, and finished fabrics from India, Nepal, Europe and South East Asia. We are associated with Indian and European partners to license their looms to get our job work done.

Currently, cultivation of hemp for fiber is not optimal in India and is not of the right quality. It is also not being produced in enough quantity to meet the demands of the booming textile market. This is the reason for importing our fibers. 

4) How is hemp fabric produced?

A: Hemp fiber is made from the stalk of the plant Cannabis Sativa. After harvesting, the fiber goes through the process of retting, where the stem is separated from the woody core followed by fiber separation, a labor-intensive process where the fibers are broken down. The fine fiber is then cleaned, carded and then spun into a yarn. At Hemp Fabric Lab, we use different techniques like knitting, power loom, and handloom to convert these yarns into beautiful fabrics.

5) Do you provide any certification and what are the ethical standards involved in bringing the textiles to market?

A: For the fabric itself, sadly there is no certification at the moment. However, hemp as a crop requires very little to no pesticides to grow as compared to other natural fibers like cotton and flax. We do provide GOT certification for organic cotton that’s used in our blends, as well as AZO-free certification for our dyes. We have to use alkaline chemicals in the fiber processing otherwise the process becomes time consuming and expensive (hopefully there will be a greener and more economical solution for this in the future!). The good news is that our manufacturers have treatment plants installed in their factories which reuse waste water, so rest assured none of the bad stuff is going out into the oceans. Lastly, the softener used for finishing is water soluble.

6) What are the wash care instructions for hemp fabrics?

Washing : 

  • Hand wash or machine wash separately in cold water
  • Use diluted liquid mild soap or mild detergents
  • Do not use chlorinated bleach
  • Do not scrub

Ironing:

  • Ironing hemp becomes easier if the fabric is slightly damp
  • Iron on reverse

Drying:

  • Line dry or use a lower heat cycle in a tumble dryer for the best results.

7) Will my hemp fabric shrink?

A: Drying wet hemp items in high heat will shrink them very quickly. It’s best to wash hemp fabrics cold and tumble low or line dry.

8) Is hemp fabric dyeable?

A: Yes, hemp fabrics are dyeable. As hemp is a natural fiber you can use direct, acid, disperse, reactive, vat or solubilized vat dyes.

9) What is the colour fastness of the dyed fabrics?

A: The colour fastness of the coloured hemp fabrics is 4/5.

10) How can I see the samples of these fabrics?

You can order our Master swatch book if you want to see the whole range or even customise a swatch book according to your requirements. Alternatively, you can also order our clipper sheet which contains small sized fabric cut-outs.

11) What other services do you provide?

A: At Hemp Fabric Lab we offer services on special request such as white labelling, AZO free dyeing, natural dyeing, enzyme wash, blog printing, screen printing, digital printing & SOOT printing. (Services)

12) What happens when fabrics go out stock?

A: We work with different suppliers locally and overseas to manufacture and procure different varieties of fabrics. Since we don't keep super large quantities at our warehouse and only order based on market demand, we do tend to run out of fabrics. This is also because we don't want to deal with excess stock.

Our timelines for reordering differs from fabric to fabric. It's usually between 1 week to 4 weeks if the fabric is in stock with our supplier. This also depends on which fabric you require. Timelines for knits, wovens, and handlooms differ.

In case you find any fabrics you like to be out of stock, please send us an email with the fabric name and the quantity you require at sales@hempfabriclab.com.

If the fabric is in stock with our supplier, we can look into reordering with an MOQ of 30 meters. In case the fabric is out of stock and has to be produced again, our MOQ is 500-1000 meters with a timeline of 60-75 days.

Please note that our fabric offering and prices are always subject to change based on the availability, demand, and prices of hemp yarns.

13) Do you offer bulk costing?

A: Yes, we do offer bulk prices for orders above 101 meters. We usually work with three price brackets: 

1. 101m-500m

2. 501m-1000m

3. 1001m-3000m

Higher the quantity, lower the price. We can also service orders up to 10,000 meters. For any inquiries regarding bulk prices, please write to us at sales@hempfabriclab.com.

14) Why is Hemp more expensive than Cotton?

A. There are several reasons for this:

1. It's basic economics really- as demand for Hemp increases, so will the supply.

2. Conversion of Hemp stalk into conventional fiber is a labour-intensive process. 

3. The technology to process hemp fibers is expensive and not easily available. 

4. Large-scale manufacturing is new compared to Cotton.