Small Town Natural's Hemp care guide: Dryer Beware!
Does Hemp fabric shrink? Quick answer= YES. Not as much as Bamboo rayon though.
One great thing about Hemp fabric is that it gets softer with every laundering! This is the world's oldest fabric. It is one of the most durable and long lasting too.
Small Town Natural recommendations for laundering hemp clothing:
Wash: Laundering instructions for Hemp is not much different than your delicates. Wash by hand or machine in cold water on delicate/gentle cycle. Note* Do NOT use fabric softener in liquid form nor dryer sheets this can discolour fabric and will reduce sweat wicking abilities.
Tumble Dry: Please do NOT use fabric softener in liquid form nor dryer sheets when putting Hemp in a dryer. Hemp fabric can become discoloured by fabric softener. We all know that any garment (no matter what the fabric is) will last longer if we do not tumble dry with heat. Natural fibre clothing is especially sensitive to heat. Hemp will shrink every time it is exposed to heat, unlike cotton which stops shrinking after a couple tumble dries. If you must use a dryer; only dry hemp in dryer on NO heat setting, even low-heat will be ok. Hemp will shrink a little every single time it is tumble dried on low to high heat. Hemp is not as sensitive to heat as bamboo but it is similar to cotton on the shrinkage scale for the first 4 or 5 wash + drying cycles. After that it will still shrink a little, unlike cotton that stops shrinking after a half dozen laundering cycles.
Tumble Dry exception: To reduce wrinkling of Hemp fabric when tumble drying be sure to remove the garment from dryer before it is completely dry. Slight dampness will air dry fast. If you accidentally left Hemp garment in the dryer until it is dry..You should do this if you need to remove wrinkling; put the garment in the dryer alone with a damp hand towel or kitchen dish towel of similar colour for a maximum 10 mins on low heat (you are the best judge of how low your low heat is. Some are hotter than others so reduce time in the dryer the hotter your low heat setting is).
Stain Removal: Do not use bleach. Hemp is a very resilient fibre however, it does require more thought and caution when removing stains. Do not let stains set. Treat stains before the garment dries. Rub a dab of laundry soap on the stain and gently work the soap in and rinse with warm water. Hemp sheds dirt more easily than most fabrics. It may be more difficult to remove stains if you have left the stain on the garment for a long period of time (24 hours or more).
More Tips: Do not dry clean Hemp fabrics!
Ironing: Hemp fabric responds well to ironing, so set your iron on a low setting (like linen) to remove wrinkles. 1st try to remove wrinkles by putting the garment in the dryer with damp cloth for a few minutes. If this doesn't smooth out the fabric enough use the iron.
Natural fibres are by far THE most environmentally friendly clothing fabric options! Yes, they may require a little more thought when laundering but we think it is worth it! Reduce your carbon footprint by hang / line drying or laying flat to dry all clothing! This helps to prolong the life of your wardrobe essentials.
You can purchase apparel made from hemp from Small Town Natural. Visit www.smalltownnatural.ca
