Hemp and Cloth Diapers
Is Hemp Really Better than Cotton?
by Krista
Mikulski
Babykicks
Note from
Shannon: Many thanks to Krista Mikulski of Babykicks for allowing us to
reprint this article. Since it was written in 2001, not all companies
mentioned may still be active. I have chosen not to edit out any
information so readers may enjoy the article in its original form.
Is hemp
really better than cotton for diapers?
Well, if you are cloth
diapering because it's better for the environment, then answer would be yes.
Fifty percent of the world's pesticides are sprayed on cotton. Also the
bleaching process is very harmful to the environment. Pesticides are not needed
in the farming of hemp. Hemp does not deplete the soil; in fact hemp leaves
return nitrogen back to the soil, which improves soil fertility, therefore
requiring less fertilizer for subsequent rotated crops.
If you're cloth diapering
because it's better for your baby, then the answer would be yes. Hemp fabric is
naturally anti-microbial. Your baby will be protected naturally from bacteria,
mold, mildew and fungus and that could mean less diaper rash. Also, due to the
porous nature of the fiber, hemp is more absorbent than cotton and can breathe,
so it is cool in summer and warm in winter. Your baby would probably be more
comfortable in hemp.
If you are cloth diapering
because it will save you money, the answer again would be yes. In stress tests
conducted by Patagonia, Inc. (a leading outdoor equipment manufacturing
company), hemp had eight times the tensile strength and four times the
durability of cotton. Diapers made from hemp fabrics will last longer and stand
up to rougher use than cotton.
If you're cloth diapering
because you can't resist all the adorable patterns available, then, sadly, the
answer would be no, at least for now. Diapers made completely from hemp or
hemp/cotton blend materials are currently only available in a natural
color.
100% Hemp canvas 250x
Magnification.
Copyright © 2000-2005 Marc Pehkonen of www.fireflydiapers.com.. Used with
permission |
There are many misconceptions about
hemp because of its cousin, the marijuana plant. Because of some questionable
politics back in the 1930's all varieties of cannabis were basically outlawed
with the passing of the "Marijuana Tax Act." At that time Harry Anslinger was
the head of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics. Coincidentally he was married to
the niece of Andrew Mellon who was the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and
President of Mellon Bank. Mellon Bank happened to be a major financier to the Du
Pont Corporation, which had just developed several petroleum-based synthetic
products with which natural hemp products would compete.
The road to clearing the
hemp name has been long and rocky. It's been accepted back into Canada and much
of Europe, although it's still illegal to grow in the U.S., which ironically is
the fastest growing market for hemp products.
In just the Work At Home
Mother diapering industry alone, hemp is making quite a name for itself. Several
WAHMs use hemp/cotton material exclusively (the use of pure hemp material is
cost-prohibitive at this time.) including Claudia's Calico
Cottage, Hempers®, hipHemp and BabyKicks. An increasing number of other
WAHMs are offering hemp as an option or in combination with cotton fabrics, such
as Full Moon Baby Gear, Rumpease, CuddleBuns, Emma Rosayn &
Co and many
others.
When asked why hemp is
such a good fabric for diapers, Claudia from Claudia's Calico Cottage said, "I
personally like hemp for it's durability and strength and when moms plan on
diapering more than one child the diapers will last." Courtney, maker of
Rumpease added, "Hemp is the easiest on our environment. It uses less water,
soil and nutrients to grow. I find my hemp jersey and fleece to be just as soft
as flannel... and last SO much longer." And Terri from Full Moon Baby Gear
concluded, "It softens with each wash, and wears "in", not "out". I find that
hemp soaker pads work so much better than plain cotton or terrycloth. It is a
superior fabric for absorbency. And lastly, it's just got a nice feel to
it."
If you'd like to know more
about hemp and the many other products it's ideally suited for, including paper,
food, auto body parts, cosmetics, carpeting, building materials and bioenergy,
please visit Global Hemp, The North American Industrial Hemp
Council, or
Hemptech. These sources will give you
honest, objective information.
If you haven't already
tried hemp, there are so many wonderful diapers that you are missing out on. Ask
your favorite WAHM for hemp. If she doesn't have it available now, she's
probably been considering it because hemp really is better than cotton for
diapers.
© 2001, Krista
Mikulski. May not be reprinted without permission. |
