Why Hemp?

In our view, hemp linen is the bedding of the future. An ancient fibre heroed for its strength and durability, hemp has suffered a bit of an identity crisis in recent decades. You may think hemp is just another word for marijuana and that it's good for nothing unless you're after a drug-induced high. So let us set the record straight on what we think is a pretty incredible crop.

Hemp fibre (along with many other great hemp products that you will see popping up everywhere from your local supermarket to the construction industry) is derived from the cannabis sativa plant. Hemp plants contain less than 0.35% THC (the psychoactive element in cannabis) so you're out of luck if you were hoping to light up your bedding tonight!

One of our favourite features of hemp (and one of our main drivers for starting Calvi.Co) is its eco-friendliness. Hemp's production requires less than one quarter of the water required to produce the same quantity of cotton. There is no need for growers to rely on harmful chemicals when producing hemp as it is naturally pest-resistant. Hemp is also a very efficient crop, yielding far more fibre per acre than both cotton and flax. At the end of the day, hemp fibre is also biodegradable.

As well as minimising damage to our planet, hemp actually gives a little back to mother nature as it grows. It is said not to deplete the soil it grows in but rather improve soil quality and reduce erosion. Hemp is said to be the fifth best common crop for the promotion of biodiversity. Hemp also absorbs CO2 at a much greater rate than other crops, including flax (which is used to make your usual linen sheets).

So hemp is easy on the environment but does that mean you have to compromise on style and comfort? Definitely not!

If you love flax linen sheets, you'll love hemp bedding too. The two look nearly identical, breathe well, are effective insulators and have antibacterial properties. In addition, hemp is an extraordinarily strong fibre and is considered to create the longest-lasting, most durable textiles available today.

The only fault we can find with hemp is that its availability is limited and its cost remains relatively prohibitive as a result. This is largely due to legal and regulatory constraints imposed in many jurisdictions given hemp's association with marijuana. We are hopeful that there will come a day when Australian farmers can properly invest in hemp production and we as a business can further reduce our environmental footprint using local sources and production methods.

In the meantime, we source our hemp from and produce our bedding in China, which is responsible for more than half the world's industrial hemp production.

We love our hemp linen bedding and we hope you will love yours too. Happy shopping!