air
A scientific yet pragmatic study of hemp’s breathability and airflow management.
There is a feeling you do not know, yet somehow recognise. It is a moment. The moment when water leaves the body and becomes air.
a pragmatic experiment
Numerous scientific studies have repeatedly confirmed hemp’s breathability. But how could we demonstrate it intuitively? Through a condensation experiment: measuring the weight of the water vapor that passes through different fabrics over a 10-minute period.
The greater the weight of the water, the more breathable the fabric. This is exactly what happens when we sweat. Our body releases sweat onto the skin, and it evaporates more quickly when the fabric in contact with the skin does not trap it.
the results
Using this technique, we compared similar linen and cotton T-shirts with our Burro Canapa® and Iperleggera T-shirts. The heavier the cap was after 10 minutes, the more breathable the T-shirt.
Our Burro Canapa® T-shirt is at least 20% more breathable than lighter cotton and linen T-shirts. Our Iperleggera, on the other hand, is as much as 30% more breathable than comparable linen and cotton T-shirts.
the science
How well a fabric breathes depends on many factors: how it is woven, how tightly it is constructed, and which treatments it has undergone. But the fibre itself makes the biggest difference. You only need to look at it under a microscope.
A synthetic fibre is essentially a strand of plastic: smooth, solid, and closed. Water simply slides over its surface.
Hemp is the opposite. It is hollow inside, like a straw, and its surface is crossed by tiny grooves. This structure does two things. It draws sweat away from the skin, guiding it outwards along the fibre. More importantly, it absorbs water vapour into the fibre itself before it turns into sweat. That is why the fabric stays dry to the touch and does not create that sticky feeling.
Hemp also disperses heat quickly, so it feels cool on contact. This is why, in summer, the difference is immediately noticeable.
Very few other fibres can compare. Merino wool is the other great benchmark for breathability, working in a different but equally effective way.
