 Celebrating its 2nd anniversary, the Green Living Show came to Toronto, Canada in April, 2008.
Dayle endorses using cloth shopping bags instead of plastic bags that end up in landfill
Here was an ideal opportunity with so many manufacturers and distributors in one place. We were not disappointed as we put on our most comfortable walking shoes, took public transit to the Exhibition grounds and started up and down the aisles of displays.
When I first started...
teaching textiles nearly 2 decades ago, I taught interior design students that HEMP was a potentially superior cellulose fibre, but unfortunately not available on the market. Governments of the day confused this crop with the illicit drug, although their chemical structures are related but not the same.
By 1998, the first hemp production was allowed and it began to replace tobacco crops much to the delight of farmers who had suffered the decline in demand for tobacco. The best news was that this strong fibre grew quickly with less water and without the need for pesticides, herbicides or fertilizer. We are seeing a few hemp interior design fabrics available.
 As I interviewed Tom Strike of Frog Pond Hemp at the Green Living Show, he related that while hemp is grown locally, there are no local fabric mills remaining for spinning the fibres and weaving the yarns into fabric. The hemp this company buys is shipped from China. So this is another lesson in our quest for sustainability. We want to choose the best, most beautiful sustainable products. Ideally, we buy locally produced products to limit our carbon footprint in transportation. If we increase our demand for products from hemp, we can inspire mills that are closer to change their production. If we encourage governments to support those industries that produce such a fabulous sustainable product we can make a difference! So demand some HEMP in your next interior décor selection and let us continue this positive trend!
For more information on sustainable fabrics for beautiful interior design, contact Dayle at info@daylelaing.com www.daylelaing.com |
