Opera Campi is specialized in making only hemp-based garments and fabrics. Why?
why hemp?
There are precise reasons why we consider Hemp the most sustainable and versatile fibre.
thermo regulation
You can comfortably(and lovingly!) wear Hemp for all four seasons. Hemp clothing is both an excellent insulator and breathes remarkably well too. It absorbs moisture, and keeps you warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
planet lungs
Hemp is the fibre with the highest CO2 absorption rate. Imagine how much impact there would be if huge cotton plantations would be replaced by fields of Hemp. We would have powerful planet lungs.
water and pesticides saving
Hemp requires 80% less water than cotton during its cultivation. Because Hemp requires less water, usually no extra irrigation is required.
Hemp usually requires no pesticides, whereas cotton is one of the planet’s most pesticide-intensive crops.
antiodor
Being anti-fungal and anti-microbial, Hemp is naturally resistant to odors. It's truly magical how it can often stay completely odor-neutral after several days of wearing.
softer
While cotton degrades over time, hemp threads turn softer. Washes will make them increasingly soft, because they round the right angle yarns, without breaking them.
durable
According to scientific studies, hemp is the most durable natural textile, namely it withstands more washes than linen and cotton. Its durability is proven by so many century-old fabrics we have found, dating back to 1700.
so why?
Prior to World War II, hemp was a very popular plant worldwide, for thousands of years and across lands and cultures. From medicine to food, fabrics to paper and even tested successfully as a material for cars (by Ford). In short, hemp was employed across many industries and used by countless people in their day-to-day lives.Starting in the 1930s, it gradually disappeared due to the increasing competition of cotton and synthetic products. Oil-based alternatives were introduced in the clothing, paper, chemical and fuel sectors. Tycoons, like du Pont in the plastic industry and Hearst in the newspaper business, joined their efforts and, with the help of US government official Harry Anslinger, waged a war on hemp which went on to last for decades.Thanks to government lobbying and massive disinformation campaigns, they managed to connect hemp to drug use (via hemp’s cannabis sister-plant marijuana) and discredit it in the eyes of the electorate. From the US to Europe, hemp was prohibited, even in its non-psychoactive industrial and nutritional forms. These irresponsible bans and unfounded stigmatizations unfortunately still persist today in many countries, frequently damaging the supply chain and processes used to work grow, process, distribute and use hemp.
Today hemp yarns are scarce and expensive. For this reason hemp is not commonly used, or is used in cheaper, often chemically-treated variants (like 'cottonized’ varieties or fabrics with very low percentages of hemp).
thermo-regulation, scientific explanation
This porous nature allows hemp to "breathe".
The feature is shown in the microscopical image from this research.
Air, Humidity and temperature is trapped in the fiber channels (lumens) you see in the image. These channels gradually store air from the body and release it outside of the fabric. This feature determines the amazing thermo-regulation of Hemp, giving the body a special physical well-being.
In order have most benefits from this feature, it's important to wear Hemp garments in direct contact with the body.
