China’s Heilongjiang Province is pursuing hemp in an effort to minimize cotton’s carbon footprint.
The province is evaluating its hemp production value chain and proposing more large scale production of the sustainable crop, which unlike cotton, doesn’t require as much pesticide and water use. Since beginning this initiative, the province has increased its hemp crop from 2,500 acres to more than 74,000 acres this year. If the hemp crop keeps up, the province could yield approximately 150,000 acres as early as 2018.
With hemp, China could also make its textile industry more sustainable and minimize resource use. A comprehensive research program initiated by Heilongjiang Province universities and research groups from Canada and Ukraine, is currently exploring how the area can produce hemp fibers using eco-friendly enzymes. Dubbed enzymatic cottonization of hemp fibers, the process cultivates hemp seeds with enzymes, minimizing the use of artificial irrigation methods.
Hemp textiles would also be high-quality fabrics, enabling China to compete with other major global textile players. Additional benefits of hemp fibers include a complex 3-D, superb moisture absorption and allow textile to dry quickly. The nation aims to increase hemp crops over the next few years, while maintaining its status as a top international textile source.
Source: https://sourcingjournalonline.com