Have you ever stopped to think about what makes hemp the Earth's best buddy?
I've been banging on about hemp for ages now—well, ever since Jess and I started Jo Dope—and there's one question I'm always asked: why hemp? Fair dinkum, there are heaps of reasons, but above all, hemp is just really bloody friendly to the planet.
The Greenest Crop Going Around
Did you know hemp's like the Swiss army knife of the plant world? Seriously, it is. Growing hemp is a breeze compared to crops like cotton or wheat. It doesn't guzzle water, and pesticides are completely off the table. Actually, it's a big no-no around here. Hemp plants are tougher than the average weed—no pun intended.
There's a ton of discussion around this. I always emphasise that hemp absorbs CO₂ faster than most trees. Yep, that's right. Each hemp plant is basically an eco-warrior in disguise, quietly sucking carbon dioxide out of the air. This little factoid got me thinking—why doesn't everyone grow this stuff? Here's another article that'll back me up on this.
The Soil Whisperer
Here's a corker—hemp's great at cleaning soil. Imagine a plant vacuuming pollutants right out of the dirt. No joke, hemp can actually detoxify soil, and it's called phytoremediation. If you're curious about this, you can check it out in detail on Wikipedia. While we're on the topic, we covered a bit of hemp magic right here on our why hemp page. Sneaky internal link alert!
No Chemicals, No Worries
Cotton might feel soft, but it's actually pretty harsh on our planet. Hemp sheets versus cotton sheets? Come on, mate, that's an easy one. Check out our thoughts on why hemp kicks cotton and polyester's backside right here.
[collection-carousel="sheet-set"]
Less Water, More Life
I get it—Australia is drier than my humour. Water's precious. So growing hemp—which demands far less water—is a no-brainer. Here's another article that dives deep into the wonders of hemp's low-water nature. Honestly, less water use isn't just good for our farmers, it's good for everyone who enjoys, y'know, actually having water.
Hemp Homes and More
Oh, and did you know people are literally building houses out of hemp? It’s true! Hempcrete (yes, it's actually a thing) is an eco-friendly construction material made from—you guessed it—hemp. I reckon it's pretty awesome that hemp is almost carbon negative. Check out this fascinating article from The Guardian. We even had a yarn about Iceland’s first hempcrete home right here.
[collection-carousel="doona-covers"]
Saving Oceans, One Sheet at a Time
Did I mention microplastics? They're a bit of a silent villain in our oceans, and a lot of that rubbish comes from synthetic fabrics. But hemp? Hemp sheets don't shed nasty microfibres like your polyester sheets might. I've got the whole spiel on why choosing hemp bed linen helps combat microplastic pollution right here. Honestly, our oceans need fewer villains and more heroes like hemp.
Beyond Sustainability—Real Comfort
All the sustainability stuff is awesome, but let's face it—at the end of the day, comfort matters. Jess and I wouldn't be selling hemp bedding if it didn't feel like floating on a cloud. Over time, hemp sheets actually become softer and cosier. Trust me, once you've had a kip on hemp sheets, there's no going back to scratchy cotton or sweaty polyester. That's why our best-selling collection keeps flying off the shelves.
Hemp's Here to Stay
Honestly, I reckon the best thing about hemp is how bloody versatile it is. Sheets, pillowcases, doona covers—you name it, hemp nails it. We're proud to support Aussie growers and educate everyone we can about the joys of hemp, and how choosing it over other fibres is a simple way to protect our beautiful planet.
If you wanna have a yarn about hemp, sustainability, or just want a good old-fashioned chat about why hemp sheets are superior (I'm always up for that), don't be shy. Give us a shout through our contact page.
Catch you soon!
Love,
Oscar from Jo Dope
