The apparel industry is increasingly being scrutinized for its sustainability (or lack thereof), from raw materials use through manufacturing all the way to retail.

Levi Strauss & Co. has created a new line of clothing made with hemp that “feels just like cotton.”

Hemp requires far less water and land in the growing phase and has roughly half the carbon footprint of conventionally grown cotton but has not had wide adoption in the apparel industry because of its coarse feel.

Now, however, Levi’s has employed a process developed by fiber technology specialists that softens the hemp, giving it a look and feel that is “almost indistinguishable from cotton,” the company says. 

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Jennifer Hermes ~ EnvironmentalLeader.com ~