Levi’s launches ‘cottonised hemp’ collection

SAN FRANCISCO – Levi’s has launched a new collection which uses a new form of ‘cottonised hemp’ denim – hemp that’s been altered to feel just like cotton. The environmental benefits of hemp have long been known, with it requiring far less water and land in the growing phase and having a smaller footprint than conventionally grown cotton. However, the stumbling block for brands is that it has a coarse feel. To get around that, Levi’s has put hemp through a special process developed by fibre technology specialists that softened the material, “giving it a look and feel that is almost indistinguishable from cotton.”