55% Is Better Than Nothing

One of the subjects that I first started to learn more about when I first began my little health-conscious environmental journey was hemp.

I already knew that the perception that many people had of it was off, but what I didn't know was how potentially beneficial if could be if people cleared their heads and really looked at what can be accomplished with this stuff. Man, I was ready to buy hemp clothes, bed sheets, paper, condoms, the whole nine yards.

Problem. Hemp-based products cost an arm and a leg. So much so, that I can't even justify it as a long-term "investment", like I do with paying a bit more for compact fluorescent lights. Have a look at Downbound.ca for an example. There are only so many $45 t-shirts I can afford, even if they do end up lasting longer.

Earlier today I was walking through The Bay at Place D'Orleans. On my way out, I came across a clothes display flanked by a sign about giving something back to the Earth. I had a look and the clothes on the table were either made of organic cotton, or a hemp and cotton blend (55% hemp, hence the title of this post).

Being that they weren't entirely made from hemp, the prices were a bit more reasonable. A t-shirt went for about $20 whereas the shirt I bought was $30. It looked a little something like this...


...except darker, with short sleeves and two breast pockets.

Okay, maybe it didn't look much like that at all, but you get the idea. The brand name is Mantles, though they don't appear to have their own website (if not, feel free to join the 21st Century any time now, Mantles). The tag claimed the following...

Hemp fibers are strong and durable and has the look and feel of linen. When blended with natural fabrics, it creates stronger, long-lasting garments that support sustainable farming. The ideal plant for sustainable crops, hemp does not need pesticides or fertilizer to grow.

Righteous. A paper wrap-around also asked how much one ton of recycled paper saves. According to them...

• 17 trees.
• 2 barrels of oil
• 1 pick-up truck amount of landfill space
• 60 pounds of air pollution
• 4100 kilowatts of energy

So I'm pleased not only that I was able to find an affordable middle point, but also that I'm able to purchase these at commonly found store like The Bay.