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 by 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. |
