Ted, Gayle, and Owen in hemp clothing
By Brittany Schina
Team 420 is making the move towards a more active green community, and working to break stereotypes of carelessness and laziness. Why don’t we all try to move towards a more sustainable, green community, by making eco-friendly clothing mainstream and dressing our local athletes and ourselves in it? When it comes to being active, going green is really the best way to stay cool and clean. This article explains the benefits of natural fibres for the production of athletic clothing, and also highlights the nutritious benefits of the hemp plant for healthy, active lifestyles.
Hemp
Did you know that the most sustainable, natural fibres are actually the most effective at keeping you naturally cool? It’s true. Hemp is a fibre that grows abundantly without the aid of herbicides, pesticides, or fungicides, and needs little water. Hemp fibres are also much longer, stronger, more absorbent, and more insulating than cotton—making you cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Not only does hemp allow your skin to breathe more readily than cotton, but it also blocks out harmful UV rays, making it an ideal material for outdoor sports uniforms. Hemp also has the versatility to be made into a variety of fabrics. This is why hemp makes the perfect athletic fabric and why Team 420 puts their logo on, and their athletes in, hemp tees.
Did you know that hemp has benefits for athletes and active people that go beyond comfortable clothing? Not only is it an ideal fabric to exercise in, but it is also a nutritious seed that has many nutrients necessary for healthy, active lifestyles. Dehulled hemp seeds are 40 percent protein and contain Omega 3, 6, and 9, which are the oils that give us energy and keep our hearts and immune system healthy—necessary oils for active and healthy lifestyles. Hemp seeds are often made into protein bars, protein powder, granolas, sauces, and dips. They can be processed into milk, cheese, ice cream, and margarine. Hempseed oil can be used as a healthy alternative in dressings, dips, and sauces, and can be combined with, or replace, many oils for cooking. Hemp foodstuffs make it easy to make healthy, alternative choices for active lifestyles.
Hemp’s antimicrobial properties make hempseed oil a great ingredient in cosmetics and body care products such as shampoos, lip balms, lotions, massage oils, salves, soaps, and detergents, providing health benefits for your body inside, and out.
Bamboo
Bamboo, a plant that is 100 percent naturally grown with no assistance from humans—meaning no pesticides, herbicides, and very little water, comparative to the hemp plant—is an ideal fabric for allergy prone skin.
Because of bamboo’s cooperative nature, it doesn’t need the harsh chemicals many fabrics need to be processed or dyed, making it much easier on sensitive skin. Bamboo is antimicrobial and antibacterial, so it is naturally resistant to bad smells and fungus. It is also three to four times more absorbent than cotton, making it the perfect fabric for active people. Bamboo naturally wicks away moisture, which then evaporates before it reaches your skin—keeping you feeling and smelling fresh. The same wicking action makes bamboo incredibly breathable, cool in the summer, and warm in the winter.
Not only does bamboo have the amazing benefits for athletes mentioned above, but it is also noticeably soft and comfortable, yet still tough. A bamboo tee will last much longer than any of the cotton tees you have in your wardrobe right now.
Athletic Ailments
Did you know that an all-too-common athletic ailment could be avoided and remedied simply by switching one of your everyday cotton staples to a hemp or bamboo replacement? Seventy per cent of the population (athletic or not) will suffer from this ailment at some point in their life and the simple fix lies on your feet. Yes, athlete’s foot is an infection that can be remedied by wearing hemp or bamboo socks.
As mentioned above, bamboo and hemp are both naturally antimicrobial and antifungal, making them the ideal fabrics to wear on a bacteria-prone part of your body—your feet! At Hemp & Company, we sell a diverse selection of hemp and bamboo socks from everyday wear—ankle socks and yoga toesocks, to business quarter-length dress socks. And if you already suffer from this common athletic ailment, there’s no need to worry—the socks will still help! Studies have proven that individuals suffering from athlete’s foot who switched to bamboo socks reported that the itching and burning symptoms of their ailment stopped within one to two days and, soon after, visible blisters and sores had diminished. Bamboo socks are also proven to retain these beneficial properties after many washes. Hemp socks, as they are composed of mainly the same properties, would have the same outcome.
Hemp and bamboo are also both hygroscopic, meaning that they absorb moisture and will not enable the moist warm environment in which bacteria thrive to exist—thus killing the bacteria before it gets a chance to spread. Hemp and bamboo not only leave your feet feeling good, but also smelling fresh; their natural ventilative properties ensure that they don’t retain smell.
Hemp and bamboo are two fibres that are ideal for the athletic and the health-conscious alike. The benefits of these resources go beyond comfortable clothing and stem into physical health. You can protect your skin and stay cool with no expense to the environment. Stay healthy, cool, and clean by going green!
