Fiber extraction and finishing
Most of the hemp for our clothing is grown in the Chinese province of Shanxi on small farms. In an age-old tradition, the hemp plants are harvested, in some cases still roasted and then dried. The roasting process loosens binders, which are bundles of fibers with wood and shives. For this process, the hemp stalks must be kept moist. The roasting takes place by the natural dew on the field (field roasting) or in specially used water basins. This process is called water roasting.
However, the classic water roasting process is rarely practiced nowadays, as it is very time-consuming. Research is currently being conducted into a simpler process that produces fibers of equivalent quality.
After water or field roasting, the hemp plants are dried to straw and then stored. To obtain the hemp fiber, the hemp straw is skinned mechanically or sometimes still by hand. Skinning separates the bast fibers from the woody shives. These shives are used by the farmers as fuel or fertilizer for their fields or stables.
The fiber bundles obtained are tied into bales and reach the spinning mills.
However, the classic water roasting process is rarely practiced nowadays, as it is very time-consuming. Research is currently being conducted into a simpler process that produces fibers of equivalent quality.
After water or field roasting, the hemp plants are dried to straw and then stored. To obtain the hemp fiber, the hemp straw is skinned mechanically or sometimes still by hand. Skinning separates the bast fibers from the woody shives. These shives are used by the farmers as fuel or fertilizer for their fields or stables.
The fiber bundles obtained are tied into bales and reach the spinning mills.
After water or field roasting, the hemp plants are dried to straw and then stored. To obtain the hemp fiber, the hemp straw is skinned mechanically or sometimes still by hand. Skinning separates the bast fibers from the woody shives. These shives are used by the farmers as fuel or fertilizer for their fields or stables.
The fiber bundles obtained are tied into bales and reach the spinning mills.
Arriving at the spinning mill, the fiber bundles are now broken down into elemental fibers and fractal fibers. Boiling in caustic soda dissolves the natural pectins and lignin from the fiber bundles. The fibers are then washed, dried and further separated and cleaned by mechanical processing. In several stages of combing, the fibers can be separated according to length and quality, with the longest and finest fibers being sorted again by hand. The 100% fine hemp yarn is then spun from these long fibers.
Learn here how the yarn is processed and how our hemp clothing is made...
