Is Cannabis Entering the Fashion Industry?

Well, we have yet another surprise for you. It seems as though cannabis is making its way into the fashion industry. Are you ready to see how you can be trendy while embracing your favorite plant? Keep reading, because we're about to dish on how cannabis could change the fashion industry!

Cannabis Clothing: The Perfect Fit?

Since our country has been slowly getting on board with cannabis, we've seen an influx of beauty products made from our favorite plant. It seems only logical that clothing companies would get with the program as well. Hemp has historically been used to make fabrics, so shouldn't we see more fashion labels incorporate cannabis into their products?

A few brands, like Patagonia and Levi's, had already begun utilizing hemp to make some of their clothing. And then in 2019, a company called Acabada established itself as a purveyor of women’s activewear that's infused with CBD. Now if you're looking at this activewear line as a gimmick to capitalize on the cannabis craze, you'd be overlooking a key benefit. These products were designed to release CBD as the wearer moves around, offering muscle relaxation to speed up recovery from workouts.

People in the cannabis industry are often mindful of their impact on the environment, which was true for Acabada. The company had committed itself to sustainably producing quality activewear. And while this product line was limited, that wasn't the end of cannabis in the fashion industry.

Acabada's efforts to create a sustainable product highlight one of the biggest incentives of bringing cannabis into the clothing industry. Materials made from hemp can last longer than traditional fabrics, which helps reduce waste. It's also a more eco-friendly resource, as hemp crops can thrive without tons of water, and they don't require synthetic fertilizer or pesticides. Additionally, hemp enriches soil while removing pollutants.

With cannabis garments, you can truly make a difference while looking great!

Revitalizing the Industry

By 2019, the fashion industry had seen a consistent decline in the United States. As sales continue to wane, clothing labels will be forced to try new things, which is where cannabis comes in. Sourcing apparel from hemp gives clothing brands a way to clean up their images. Companies that go this route could show consumers that they are embracing sustainable production methods. This is especially important because the fashion industry happens to be one of the biggest offenders when it comes to polluting our planet.

Not only are clothing manufacturers pumping out a significant amount of carbon emissions, but their products are a source of tremendous waste. Every year, people in the United States wind up tossing over 14 million tons of garments — a figure that has doubled over the last two decades. And it's not just consumers; clothes that don't sell are either sent to landfills or are set ablaze, both of which cause a great deal of harm to the environment.

Consumers are gradually expecting more from major brands, and if those companies aren't doing their part to protect the planet, they are less likely to thrive. In a study from 2019 involving 5000 consumers across five countries, 75% of the participants rated sustainability as a medium-to-high consideration when choosing a brand. And 38% of those respondents even changed brand loyalty based on eco-friendly practices. The results of this study suggest that companies that fail to take responsibility for protecting our planet could lose customers. Turning to cannabis just might be the ticket to revitalizing the fashion industry. 

Why Our Planet Loves Hemp

Hemp brings a lot of benefits to the table for the environment, for cultivators, and for customers. Aside from what we mentioned earlier, this type of cannabis takes in greater amounts of carbon dioxide than trees. It also produces far more usable materials while requiring far less land than traditional cotton. And hemp grows much faster than cotton as well.

Because they're so easy to cultivate, hemp plants can be grown in virtually any part of the planet, meaning manufacturers don't have to import those materials to make clothing. Naturally, this cuts down on the pollution that results from shipping.

The benefits don't end at cultivation and sustainability. The final product has many other selling points over traditional materials. Fabrics made from hemp are sturdier, they age well, they are naturally resistant to mold and mildew, and they hold color much longer than cotton. Additionally, hemp garments actually breathe well so you can cool down when it's hot, yet they keep you warm during colder months. And as if that wasn't enough, clothing sourced from hemp can shield you from 50% of the sun's UV rays, offering greater protection from aging and skin cancer (though you'll still want to slather sunscreen on any exposed areas of skin).

Taking all of this into consideration, it becomes clear why cannabis offers both an easy solution to a struggling industry and a great product for eco-conscious consumers. As more fashion labels turn to cannabis as a source for their garments, the more we can hope to lower our carbon footprint.

Remember, the Farm Bill that allowed American farmers to grow hemp crops passed less than five years ago, so cannabis still has a ways to go before it transforms the fashion industry. But from what we've seen so far, it's clear our favorite plant is on its way to doing wonders for the clothing industry overall.

Resources:

https://www.glossy.co/fashion/how-fashion-brands-are-working-to-capitalize-on-the-booming-cannabis-industry/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/pamdanziger/2019/10/03/why-the-fashion-industry-needs-to-turn-on-to-hemp/
https://greenerideal.com/news/environment/hemp-next-big-thing-sustainable-fashion/