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Rogue River - hemp fabric
The fibers were grown by independent Romanian farmers in an area of the country that has, for many generations, depended on the growing of hemp. These small farmers use no pesticides, insecticides, fungicides or synthetic fertilizers.
The harvest is dew or field retted: the farmers leave the stalks in the fields to allow dew and rain to break down the natural lignin. The Romanian rettery removes the fibers from the stalk that are then spun into yarn without chemicals, preserving the strength of the long fibers; chemical shortcuts can “cottonize” and weaken the fibres.
Dew or field retting is a labor-intensive and time-consuming job, so other farmers are turning to chemical retting. But by supporting these farmers, O Ecotextiles are protecting the earth and helping to keep this traditional method alive.The fibers are then moved to a local yarn spinning facility, where they are dry spun into yarn, using no water or chemical inputs of any kind.
At the mills, artisans take great pride in creating lively fabrics, full of character. Since the mill dates from long before the Communist era, modern techniques, including chemical supports, have not been implemented.
The fabric is softened, bleached and/or dyed at an Italian dye house, which is one of relatively few houses in the world that is qualified to produce a dyed or finished fabric which can be a certified “organic textile.” Being an “organic textile," means not just that a fabric uses organic fibers in the yarn, but that every step of the production process has been certified eco-friendly.
The dyes meet EU and Global Organic Textile Standards to be free of AZO colorants (a cancer causing toxin that is used in many dyes), heavy metals and aromatic amines and the dyestuffs are completely biodegradable (except for some of the blues which can contain copper).
The fabrics are softened with a combination of beeswax, aloe vera and vitamin E.
