Washing
The most preferred way to wash hemp products is to hand wash and let them air dry. Most of our customers use and recommend washing rather than dry cleaning for hemp garments, (However; dry cleaning is recommended for cleaning slip-covers, draperies and other home furnishing item, due to potential for shrinkage in long pieces). Be gentle when laundering hemp: use a gentle wash cycle or hand wash and use just a little gentle soap or any brand of organic soap detergent. Place delicate hemp articles in a lingerie bag before putting them into a washing machine. Use cold to warm, not hot, water. Wash colored hemp in cold water. One cup of white vinegar in the rinse water removes all traces of soap and leaves fabrics smelling fresh. Launder stains when fresh. If allowed to set, stains may be permanent. We recommend that you don't use bleach, but if you do, use oxygen bleaches (hydrogen peroxide) for bleached or semi-bleached hemp. Chlorine bleaches can cause yellowing and damage the fabric and should be avoided. If hand washing, rinse very thoroughly. Removal of all soap will help prevent large brown spots on hemp, which are caused by oxidation of cellulose by residual soap.
Drying
Several drying methods are recommended for hemp - line drying, drying flat, machine drying, rolling in terry towels, or drying on the lawn! Line drying in the sun is best, yet impractical in many instances. When machine drying - watch the time! Over drying will result in broken fibers and threads. When Line drying or drying flat, be sure spread or stretch the fabric to avoid wrinkles as the fabric dries. Tumble dry on low heat setting until slightly damp. Remove immediately and press smooth with warm iron. Whatever method you use, bring the hemp in while it is still damp. If hemp dries thoroughly, it may become brittle, taking several hours to recover its natural moisture and flexibility. Don't wring wet or damp hemp before drying, it breaks the yarn fibers down and creates unnecessary wrinkles.
Ironing
Ironing is often optional when dried flat or tumbled at low heat. Ironing hemp is a great deal easier if you do it when the hemp is damp. And if hemp is removed from drying while still damp and ironed immediately, it is easier still. If ironing the fabric when completely dry, dampen the fabric thoroughly and iron on medium to high heat. Steam ironing dry hemp is less effective and requires more effort. Use spray starch (if desired) and iron with lots of steam at a medium-to-hot setting. Starch provides extra crispness - for a softer look for garments, use fabric sizing instead. Iron on the wrong side first, then on the right side to bring out the sheen, especially in light-colored hemp. Iron darker hemps on the wrong side only. Heavier fabrics may need a slightly higher temperature setting. Hemp can withstand the highest temperature setting on your iron. Iron hemp until smooth but not dry. Once wrinkles are gone, hang the hemp item until it is bone dry. When ironing embroidered hemp, keep the embroidery stitches rounded and dimensional by pressing item on the wrong side atop a soft towel. Use a press cloth to safeguard delicate lace and cutwork. A press cloth also helps to avoid press marks over seams, hems and pockets. Place a table next to the ironing board when ironing large tablecloths. Roll finished sections of the cloth over the table rather than letting it pile up under the ironing board. Minimize creasing ironed tablecloths by rolling them around a tube or hanging them. When traveling, do not try to steam out wrinkles; wrinkles must be pressed out with an iron. Dampen the hemp first.
Wash & Care of Hemp Fabrics
Hemp articles of all kinds can take any amount of washing and keep coming up for more. They thrive on regular use and regular laundering.
Considered "Bulletproof" by many experts hemp is an amazingly strong, long-lasting fabric that launders easily. It handles extreme water temperatures well, and can be considered as a machine washable linen.
Over time it produces significant cost savings for owners because it has a much longer lifespan than all other natural fabrics.
Hemp's ultra-durable, cost-saving benefits makes it the perfect natural fabric for heavy-wear, uniform-type clothing. It withstands the rigors of industrial cleaning processes extremely well. (Note: Commercial soap powders and liquid detergents can be safely used and water temperature is not critical).
Because of the highly porous nature of the hemp fiber (i.e., magnified under a microscope it's filled with lots of holes) hemp dries extremely quickly naturally (in the open air) or is easily tumble-dried.
Laundry
Each time hemp is washed it constantly reveals new surfaces, usually becoming softer with use. Given reasonable care it will render a lifetime of service.
Hemp fabric rapidly absorbs moisture - which accounts for its coolness and comfort when used for apparel or bed sheets. It is also one of the only fabrics which are stronger wet than dry, so it does not become tender through washing.
Generally speaking, dry cleaning is recommended for drapery hemp, upholstery hemp, decorative hemp, and high end garments.
If you are washing plain hemp fabric that has not yet been made into a garment, then it is very important to surge the edges before wash to prevent fraying.
As with other textiles, always test for color fastness and remember that detergents containing Optical Brightening Agents (OBA) may cause colors to alter slightly and will detract from the appearance of the subtle natural hemp. Bleach should not be used as it can significantly degrade and weaken the natural fibers.
Suggested maximum wash water temperatures for hemp
- Hemp without special finishes - unlimited to include boiling temperatures
- Hemp without special finishes, where colors are fast - 65c
Note: for 1 & 2 above a temperature of 50c is generally sufficient
- Fine hand-embroidered hemp should be hand-washed at 40c
Hemp sheds dirt more readily than other materials and with thorough rinsing comes clean as new after every wash. If stained, use a proprietary stain-remover before washing.
There is no need to use starch except perhaps for the finest hemps, for hemp has a natural crispness. hemp does not have to be tumble-dried - it will naturally dry quickly.
Softening
Hemp generally will get softer with use and after each wash. If you need to speed up this process then a commercial softener may be used. Another way to soften hemp is to do a hot water wash followed by a tumble dry, repeat these two steps two or three times.
Ironing
After conventional machine washing use a fast spin, then hot iron while the hemp is still damp. This makes for ease of ironing and will maintain appearance. Use a hot iron. Hemp easily handles extreme temperatures.
Stretch the damp article to its natural size and shape before ironing. A hot iron will ensure that creases and crumples disappear instantly. Every piece will come up so crisp and new that it is impossible to tell whether starch has been used. Iron the 'wrong' (underside) first. For colored dress hemps, only iron the wrong side. This preserves the texture of the weave.
Storing Hemp
Hemp is naturally mothproof and can be safely stored under normal conditions. Slatted shelves will allow air to circulate. Avoid drying cupboards which have heated pipes running through, or cedar lined chests. Both can discolor hemp. If by mischance it does become discolored, wash as soon as possible and dry in the sun to whiten. Place most recently laundered items at the bottom of the pile so that all receive equal wear.