Bear Fiber Weaves American Textiles with Hemp
On this week\u2019s Hemp Podcast, we talk to Guy Carpenter, founder of Bear Fiber in North Carolina, where he is spinning a blend of hemp and cotton into yarn and making garments like hats, shirts, and socks.
\u201cThe vision was to incorporate sustainability and longevity into people\u2019s lifestyle,\u201d he said.
Bear Fiber developed proprietary methods to produce cottonized hemp fiber, and is making connections around the U.S. and the world to reestablish hemp as a primary \u201csource of natural fibers for better products,\u201d he said.
When mixed with other fibers, such as cotton, hemp brings added strength and durability to textiles, he said.
Carpenter has witness drastic changes to the American textile industry over his career.
\u201cThe American textile apparel industry as it existed, doesn\u2019t exist anymore,\u201d he said.
\u201cTextiles have have been remaining rather strong, but apparel, of course, has gone to lowest cost producers and, primarily China.\u201d
American textile jobs are more craftsman-oriented and geared toward luxury goods, and hemp can make those products better, more durable, more sustainable, Carpenter said.
While he sees hope for the industry with hemp, the industry is still contracting.
He said companies in the supply chain are going out of business.
\u201cWe\u2019ve lost five spinning mills. We\u2019re losing a dyeing and finishing operation in South Carolina that\u2019s been a bulwark in the industry for decades,\u201d he said.
Spinning is the big issue, he said. But he is hopeful because he sees the work being down to save the industry
\u201cThere are people who are working on solutions, not to build it back to the way it was, but to be able to spin better yarns and more technical yarns, and also more sustainable yarns, which are what the industry is calling for.\u201d
Bear Fiber
Hempcrete events:
Hempcrete Workshop in Pennsylvania, May 25
https://americhanvre.com/cast-in-place-workshop/
2024 NIHH Hemp Building Workshop
2-Day Intro to Hempcrete
https://www.muddauberbuilding.com/2dayhempcrete?mc_cid=f1f4673930&mc_eid=128b44621a
Thanks to our Sponsors!
Mpactful Ventures
https://www.mpactfulventures.org/
IND HEMP
Forever Green
https://www.getforevergreen.com/
Pennsylvania Hemp Industry Council
\xa0