The History of Hemp Fabric
Hemp is one of the oldest fabrics known to humanity. Long before cotton or synthetic fibres, hemp was being grown, woven and worn by civilisations that understood the value of strong, abundant materials.
First converted from plant to fabric by the ancient Chinese, hemp spread across the world through trade, exploration and empire. Its strength and reliability made it indispensable. Entire naval fleets relied on hemp sails and rope. Populations wore hemp clothing year-round. Armies depended on it in both peace and war.
For thousands of years, hemp was not a niche fabric. It was everyday life.
Then, almost overnight in historical terms, it disappeared.
The discovery of hemp as a fabric
The earliest evidence of hemp cultivation dates back over 10,000 years to ancient China. Long before modern clothing existed, hemp plants were already being grown for their fibres, food and versatility.
Chinese legend refers to Emperor Shen Nung around 2800 BC, who taught his people how to weave hemp into fabric due to its strength and the ease with which it grew. Once Chinese dynasties mastered hemp for clothing, rope and medicine, it began spreading west through trade routes.
By around 800 BC, nomadic traders such as the Scythians carried hemp along the Silk Road and introduced it to Europe. From there, hemp fabric quickly became embedded in daily life.
Between roughly 50 BC and 1000 AD, hemp was widely used across Europe. Kings, farmers, tailors and naval commanders all relied on it. Hemp was used for clothing, sails, rope, medicine, food, building materials and even bowstrings. It grew quickly, required little intervention and thrived using rainwater alone.
Once processed, hemp fabric was exceptionally strong. Historical accounts even suggest hemp rope was used in large-scale construction projects, including lifting heavy stone during the building of ancient monuments.
Hemp and the expansion of empires
Hemp played a crucial role in global exploration and the expansion of empires. Ships were rigged almost entirely with hemp sails and ropes because the fibres were strong, flexible and resistant to saltwater.
Hemp seeds travelled aboard ships, meaning wherever explorers landed, hemp could be grown locally.
Christopher Columbus’s voyage to the Americas in 1492 relied on hemp sails. In England, hemp was so important to naval power that King Henry VIII passed laws requiring farmers to grow it. Its historical importance remains visible today in place names such as Hampshire, once known as Hempshire.
For centuries, hemp underpinned global trade, travel and military power.
Why hemp disappeared from everyday use
By the eighteenth century, it is estimated that up to 80 percent of the world’s population wore hemp clothing. Despite its advantages, hemp was labour-intensive to process.
As industrialisation accelerated in the nineteenth century, cotton became easier and cheaper to manufacture at scale. Hemp gradually fell out of favour, not because it was inferior, but because it required more effort to produce.
At the same time, powerful industrial interests began to view hemp as a threat. Hemp had the potential to compete with timber for paper, oil for fuel and even steel as a strong, lightweight material. Media owners with large forestry holdings and industrial magnates had little incentive to support hemp’s continued use.
The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 and hemp prohibition
In the United States, these pressures culminated in the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937. Industrial hemp, which contains no psychoactive properties, was deliberately conflated with cannabis. Heavy regulation and taxation made hemp commercially unviable to grow.
Hemp also became entangled in fear-driven and racially charged narratives around immigration. The stigma stuck, and hemp disappeared from public awareness, wardrobes and farmland for decades.
Ironically, during World War II, the US government temporarily reversed course when it urgently needed hemp for ropes, uniforms and military supplies. Once the war ended, restrictions returned.
This stigma spread internationally, leaving hemp misunderstood throughout much of the twentieth century.
Hemp fabric today
That perception is finally changing.
As awareness grows around sustainability, durability and responsible production, hemp fabric is returning to where it belongs. Modern processing techniques have transformed hemp into a fabric that is soft, breathable and comfortable, while still retaining its natural strength.
In many ways, hemp feels similar to linen. But it is more durable, holds its structure better and carries a far richer history.
At Babble & Hemp, we are proud to be part of hemp’s revival. By creating thoughtfully made men’s clothing from hemp, we are helping reintroduce a fabric that has quietly served humanity for thousands of years.
