About hemp fabrics

Fabrics sold at All Ways Eco are made from pure hemp or hemp blends, as well as organic cotton from Turkey, which is non-GMO certified by SKAL, a non profit organization from The Netherlands. The hemp fabric used for our products is manufactured in Vietnam (100% hemp, hand woven on French Colonial Looms) and China, but mainly China as they have been manufacturing continuously since the 8th century.

Why hemp fabric?

Hemp fabric is soft, breathes well against the skin. It is naturally hypo-allergenic because it is grown without herbicides, fungicides or pesticides. making it an excellent fabric for people with skin allergies and asthma sufferers. Another property of hemp is that it continues to soften with each wash.

What about hemp factory conditions?

In August 2007, All Ways Eco's principal, Lindy Evans visited the factory where the fabric is manufactured in Shanxi Provence, to see the production methods and conditions of the workers.

We found that the factory built in the 60’s, was well maintained and very clean. The machinery was antiquated, but was adequate to produce high quality hemp and hemp blended fabrics from raw materials. Everyone we met was very friendly, eager to please and very proud of the products manufactured at their factory. Here are some other facts we found:

• The factory grounds housed 5,000 of which 3,000 are employees. Many employees stay at the factory during the week and go home on weekend.
• Employees have a 2 hour lunch break, have holidays and maternity leave.
• The factory does not employee staff younger then 20 years old.
• There is a crèche in the factory grounds and a town has grown around the factory to service it.
• 300 talented employees have 3 months off work to produce a concert for all the staff to enjoy. The concert was held in the week prior to our visit and the stage was still up.
• The President was particularly proud of the fact that all processes were natural except one (and he is working with German scientists to change this by the end of 2008.)
• The management team are University educated specifically to be able work in the factory, which is considered a sought after position in the Province.

After visiting the factory and meeting the Management team and the staff we have no hesitation in selling the fabrics that this Chinese manufacturer produces.