3 Reasons Why Choosing Hemp Bedding Will Let You Sleep Easier At Night

Table Of Contents

01

Hemp vs. Linen

02

Hemp vs. Bamboo

03

Hemp vs. Other Natural Fibres

04

Make the switch when you make your bed

Fill in the blank here:

When it comes to choosing bedding fabrics, cotton is soft and breathable, linen is durable and keeps its shape, and hemp is ______?

If you were going to say “strong,” you would only be partially right. And if you said, “something people bake into brownies,” you would be way off base.

Try “soft, breathable, durable, non-toxic, and sustainably produced” instead. And a whole lot more.

Hemp is rapidly shaking off its tangential relationship with its recreational cannabis sativa cousinand becoming better known as an incredibly strong fabric that can also be weaved into amazingly soft and natural bedding (and clothes too, but let’s focus on a good night’s sleep here).

The list of hemp’s advantages – to name just a few, it’s hypoallergenic, has a low impact on the environment, and lasts for years – could fill a page.

But how does it compare with more familiar natural fibers such as linen and bamboo? Is it really the best “green” choice? And, at the end of the day, will you look forward to curling up under sheets made from the same plant fibers as a boat’s sail?

Answers: 1. Really well. 2. Yes. 3. Most definitely, yes!

Hemp vs. Linen

More durable, better for the soil…and good for the bees (really!).

Simply put, hemp is naturally the stronger fabric compared with linen. It’s made to last. That’s because hemp fibres range in length from four to seven feet, while linen fibres are usually less than half as long. And with your long-term enjoyment of hemp bedding comes an added bonus: hemp gets softer with each washing. Hemp is an ancient plant that has been rediscovered as an eco-friendly alternative, partly because of how the plant reinvigorates the soil it’s grown in by absorbing carbon and nitrogen out of the air and putting it back into the ground.

Linen, by comparison, is derived from flax, which is known to deplete the soil around it. Hemp is also naturally resistant to pests and weeds and can be grown without the use of herbicides and pesticides (weeds develop easily among flax crops, thus requiring the application of toxic chemicals).

As for the bees, hemp is a pollen source for our busy honey-producing friends. And flax? Those same herbicides used on flax crops are potential bee-killers.

Hemp vs. Bamboo

Two natural alternatives, but only one can be processed without chemicals.

When it comes to harvesting, hemp and bamboo are good bedfellows (we are talking about bedding here, after all). Both grow easily with little water, don’t require toxic fertilizers or pesticides, and absorb carbon dioxide and cleanse the air.

It’s during production that hemp wins cleanly. For bamboo, the manufacturing process of separating fibres from stems -- known as “retting” -- often involves some intensive chemical applications that are toxic to humans and the environment alike, robbing the material of its antibacterial qualities (hemp always retains this).

To be fair, not all bamboo-based fabrics are produced this way. But if you want to be certain about what goes into your bedding (especially if you have a sensitivity to toxins), hemp is the natural choice. The reason, once again, is hemp’s historic roots and a more organic approach to processing that doesn’t require harmful chemicals or pollutants.

Hemp vs. Other Natural Fibres

Guess which fibre combines durability and softness while being free of chemicals?

Acetate

Acetate is a fabric made from wood fibre cellulose. It’s exceptionally soft and almost satiny to the touch, but acetate fibres lack the durability of hemp, and require more time-consuming care i.e., hand washed or dry cleaned.

Silk

If you’re feeling indulgent, it’s hard to match silk fabric for its uniquely sensual nature. Like hemp, it’s cool and soft to the touch and sourced naturally (from silkworms, of course). From there, hemp has the advantage: silk can be prohibitively expensive and is extremely delicate when it comes to care and cleaning.

Tencel

This popular fibre made from wood pulp (known by the brand name Tencel) is marketed for its natural origins, softness, and breathability. However, unlike our hemp-based bedding, chemicals are used during production (although these are of a lower toxicity than some other fabrics) and Tencel is considered a human-made (not natural) fibre.

Interesting fact: Hemp farming also reinvigorates soil by absorbing harmful elements that may be present, which is why hemp is often used to reclaim lands polluted by heavy chemicals.

And speaking of chemicals, hemp farming doesn’t require pesticides and herbicides.

Make the switch when you make your bed

Sadly, not all hemp fabrics are created equally. As hemp-based products grow in popularity, it will become important to not only choose hemp, but to choose responsible, supportive retailers for your hemp bedding.

Yugen Hut was born out of our personal desire for sustainable, natural products that meet the sensitivity and health needs of our families, and yours. Yugen Hut products are carefully curated to ensure they are free of toxins and chemicals during production and processing.