Hemp Clothes: All the Facts and Where to Buy in Australia

Hemp is a very multifunctional plant. It’s used for a variety of purposes; one such purpose is textiles. Hemp clothes are back in fashion after decades of the plant being outlawed, and there are some great reasons why.

The best bits are listed in the detailed guide below, but first, let’s cover where you can buy the best organic hemp clothes in Australia.

Organic Hemp Clothing

Hemp clothes are typically organic, offering a sustainable and ethical alternative to fast fashion brands and high street labels. Thankfully, there are now plenty of ethical brands offering hemp clothes in Australia.

Most of the brands below offer both men’s and womenswear, but we have separated out some of the best options.

Men’s Hemp Clothing

A variety of menswear brands now offer organic hemp clothing. The material is lightweight, comfortable, and can even be helpful for sensitive skin. Find a selection of the best brands below that sell men’s, women’s, and even kid’s items too.

• Hemp Clothing Australia: Hemp Clothing Australia is precisely what it says on the tin. This brand offers timeless classics that won’t go out of season, meaning you get to keep a seasonal wardrobe that’s wearable forever—the brand stocks a fabulous men’s range as well as bed linen. Whatever you need, you can probably get it here.
• Citizen Wolf: Sydney-based Citizen Wolf creates made-to-measure t-shirts that last a lifetime. There are numerous styles of shirts, and the brand recently added more colours to its range. Thanks to its Magic Fit system, these shirts look great on everyone and suit all styles.
• ZONE by Lydia: Olympic champion Lydia Lassila founded ZONE by Lydia. The brand focuses on sustainability and eco-friendly lifestyles, and it now features a hemp-based clothing range. This line is perfect for those seeking gender-neutral loungewear that compliments everyone. The collection includes tees, tanks, hoodies, tracksuit bottoms, and bike shorts.

Women’s Hemp Clothing

There is an enormous array of options for hemp clothing for women. Below are just three brands killing it in this market.

• The Hemp Temple: Many hemp brands in Australia source hemp from China. However, the Hemp Temple gets its plants from the Himalayas. The fibres are spun into yarn in a local Himalayan village, then shipped to a town in India where the local women hand-make and dye the garments. The items are then sent to The Hemp Temple in Western Australia. These items are loose and luxe, giving off unique boho chic.
• Pinky & Kamal: This brand specialises in ethical activewear. Typically, this means cotton. However, Pinky & Kamal now create hemp dresses and jumpsuits, perfect for a flowy feeling that mirrors yoga even off the mat. Each piece is handmade and dyed in Bali. For every purchase, Pinky & Kamal plant a tree.
• BCH: The focus of this label is transparency. A.BCH calls itself a circular fashion label, ensuring that worn clothing is reused instead of thrown into landfills. It runs an excellent recycling program and operates workshops in Melbourne and Geelong. A number of A.BCH garments are 100% hemp, giving users access to shorts, t-shirts, scarves, and jackets made using this plant.

Kid’s Hemp Clothing

Even your kids can get in on saving the planet. Hemp baby clothes and kidswear are becoming increasingly common, especially from brands like Hemp Clothing Australia. Below are three of the top brands offering kid-friendly hemp clothes.

• Elves in the Wardrobe: This Australian clothing brand focuses on eco-friendly kid’s clothing. There are a variety of fabrics, including organic cotton and hemp, which this label makes for VILPs (Very Important Little People). It’s a cute clothing brand offering neutrals and pops of colour for every occasion.
• Shirley Bredal: Based in Singapore and Nepal, Shirley Bredal is a brand selling Nordic-inspired organic clothing. They specialise in kid’s clothing for babies and toddlers but also sell heirloom décor.
• Slow Threads: This brand was born out of Australia and is inspiring kids and parents to make good clothing choices. This involves making items that are designed to last, using organic fibres that won’t pollute the planet. Its pieces are Nordic-inspired and include cosy knitwear.

Hemp Clothing Facts

It’s great to see that hemp clothing brands are now readily available. However, many people remain unaware of the benefits of clothes made from hemp.

These days, most garments are made using polyester, elastic, and other plastics, which are not biodegradable. With quickly changing trends and the accessibility of cheap fast fashion, we are contributing enormously to the climate crisis.

The solution is to purchase clothes ethically made with natural fibres that won’t ruin the planet. Hemp is just one option. Below are some details on why so many people are choosing hemp clothing.

Hemp Clothing vs Cotton

First off, it’s a good idea to compare hemp fabric with cotton. The latter is also peddled as an eco-friendly alternative since it’s an organic, biodegradable textile. However, there are reasons to believe that hemp is even better than cotton.

In comparison to cotton, hemp fabric lasts longer, which means there’s less need to buy more clothes in the future. Fuelling the production industry contributes enormously to the climate crisis, so reducing the need for more clothes is imperative.

Hemp lasts longer because it is more robust, hence why it was once used to make sails for ships. Hemp clothing can grow softer and softer with each wash while retaining its strength and durability. Meanwhile, cotton is likely to rip and tear.

Better for the Environment

What’s more, eco hemp clothing is better for the environment than cotton. It goes without saying that it’s better than plastic, but it could also out-compete other eco fabrics.

Cotton uses 25% of the world’s pesticides to grow – and a lot more water. Per season, cotton requires about 50% more water than hemp, and that’s without factoring in the manufacturing processing. Processing cotton uses 4x as much water as processing hemp.

Hemp, meanwhile, requires virtually no pesticides to grow and can thrive with much less water. As a result, it’s more environmentally friendly.

UV Resistant

Hemp fabric is lightweight and breathable, which makes it perfect for wearing in the warmer months. Another advantage of summery outdoor gear made from hemp is that it can protect the skin by blocking UV-A and UV-B rays.

This incredible fabric can absorb UV rays, protecting the skin up to SPF 15. However, some manufacturers treat the fabric during the creation process to screen up to SPF 50 – the maximum sun protection.

Thermo Regulating

Hemp fibres have hollow structures, making them excellent thermoregulators. This means that hemp clothes have the ability to regulate body temperature.

They can keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The lightweight, breathable fabric is therefore not only comfortable, but it works with your body to ensure maximum comfort at all times.

Hemp Retains Color

Part of hemp’s ability to retain colour stems from its UV-resistant qualities. Normal clothes can fade in the sun, but hemp’s UV-blocking talent means that it doesn’t succumb to this as quickly.

Hemp fabric also retains the colour and quality better than any other fabric. As a result, there’s no need to worry about it fading over time. It will last much longer than your other clothes!

Why Is Hemp Clothing So Expensive?

Although there are now plenty of brands selling organic hemp clothing in Australia and around the world, the items you see are often expensive. Much more expensive than regular clothes, at least.

There are several reasons for this. One of the main factors is that hemp brands tend to be ethical. We live in an age of fast fashion, in which big-name brands use sweatshops to mass-produce environmentally harmful clothing. Underpaying workers means that these brands can keep their prices low ­– at a greater social cost to those living in poverty.

Sadly, fast fashion prices are very much normalised, giving consumers a warped perception of the true cost of garment making. Eco-friendly, conscious brands are more likely to give their workers a living wage, which drives up the cost.

Labour aside, hemp fabrics are currently expensive. Low demand for hemp clothes means limited availability. Plus, an outright ban on hemp plants in many parts of the world has meant that many people are just not interested in hemp fabrics. Thus, sourcing hemp from a limited supply drives up the price.

Until hemp clothes go completely mainstream, these prices are set to remain high.

Final Thoughts on Hemp Clothes

Clothes made out of hemp are becoming increasingly popular as people realise the advantages of this fabric. Ethical, sustainable hemp brands are emerging all over the place, giving consumers a fun and trendy alternative to polluting fast fashion.

Hemp clothes are anti-bacterial, UV-resistant, durable, and better for the environment to produce. Spreading awareness of the benefits is one way to do something good for the planet – and to drive down the cost of hemp clothes!

Another sustainable aspect of hemp is that it can be turned into a variety of other products, including supplements. Check out the full range of hemp products here at Premium Jane Australia to get started on your sustainable hemp journey today.