Hemp Apparel Fabric Production

Hemp apparel fabrics are woven (plain, twill, satin) or knitted from Nm 8–30 yarns in pure hemp or blends with cotton (30–70% hemp), lyocell (30–50% hemp), or silk (20–30% hemp). Plain weave hemp fabric (150–200 g/m², thread count 40–60 threads/cm) has tensile strength of 400–700 N/5cm, bursting strength of 300–500 kPa (ISO 13938-1), and elongation at break of 8–15%. Softening by enzymatic treatment (cellulase 0.5–1.0% owf, 50°C, pH 5.0, 60 min) reduces surface roughness by 30–40% (Ra from 3.5 to 2.0–2.5 µm), achieving cotton-comparable hand without significant strength loss. Hemp-cotton blends balance hemp's durability and breathability with cotton's softness — 55/45 hemp/cotton denim is the most commercially successful blend. UV protection factor (UPF) of hemp fabric (unbleached, 200 g/m²) is 30–50, compared to cotton (UPF 5–15) at equivalent weight, providing inherent photoprotection for outdoor apparel without chemical treatment. Moisture regain of 8–12% at 65% RH provides superior comfort in warm weather versus cotton (7–8.5%) and especially synthetic fibres (<1%).