Linen/Hemp Clothing

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RubberJohnny

Joined
Mar 11, 2006
Messages
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Hi! With warmer weather finally arriving, I'm in a spring mood. The thoughts of canoeing, swimming, and brush work are dancing in my head :) . However my warm weather wardrobe isn't up to the task and is composed of worn out walmart brand jeans, and cotton tee shirts. I'm wondering if anyone can recommend a good source of heavy duty Linen or Hemp shirts for general outdoors use. If possible I would prefer to pay less than 70-80 dollars. Thanks!
 
I don't know what they are made of but I like Columbia's Lander Pants. They are about $35.
 
Why linen or hemp? Wouldn't cotton or a wicking synthetic be a lot more comfortable in summer?
 
jh205 said:
Why linen or hemp? Wouldn't cotton or a wicking synthetic be a lot more comfortable in summer?
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I have found my Tilley Hemp hat to be significantly cooler than any cotton ones I've tried. In addition both Linen and Hemp are far stronger in both tensile strength and abrasion resistance to cotton. Also instead of becoming clammy and sticky with sweat it drapes away from the body. I love the feel of my coolmax tee shirt, but I don't understand the logic in wicking fabrics in hot weather, isn't sweat made to cool you down?
 
My wife makes some of my heavier hemp and lighter weight linen shirts for historical reenacting and woodsrunning. The hemp wears like iron and can really take the abuse in camp or on the trail. Loose fitting shirts of either fabric are very, very cool in the summer heat.

Might check out some of the sutlers or merchants who supply historical reenactors (mountain man or colonial). Also, many of the seamstress' who use hemp or linen in their historical clothing inventory will do custom work for you (price?).

A very cool, light and baggy, drop sleeve linen shirt can hardly be surpassed for comfort around the camp or in the bush during warm weather.
dandropsleeve1mm0.jpg
 
^ Michael Palin's a forumite ?...Damn!
Just kidding.

I'll check with the local hemp store next time I'm in. I expect there are only a few distributors in the country.

Hemp can be used to make a variety of fabrics, similar to but more durable than cotton. Hemp is also excellent for making rugs and other textiles. The word canvas comes from the Latin word for hemp.

The oldest known woven fabric was made from hemp, as were Levi Strauss' original denim jeans, and the first American flag. It was a common material for clothing until the cotton industry gained strength in America.
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Hemp clothes are way more comfortable than they used to be and, as others said, they just don't wear out...
 
Dannyboy Leather said:
Loose fitting shirts of either fabric are very, very cool in the summer heat.

Might check out some of the sutlers or merchants who supply historical reenactors (mountain man or colonial). Also, many of the seamstress' who use hemp or linen in their historical clothing inventory will do custom work for you (price?).


dandropsleeve1mm0.jpg
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Thanks for the input, I hadn't considered custom work but I'll check around. BTW I completely agree with your choice of baggy long sleeve shirts, for some reason many people believe a short sleeve is cooler, but in a harsh sun I find the opposite is true!
 
Ive heard that cotton is inferior to hemp. That stuff grows wild around here. Cant pick it though. Illegal.
 
RubberJohnny said:
I have found my Tilley Hemp hat to be significantly cooler than any cotton ones I've tried. In addition both Linen and Hemp are far stronger in both tensile strength and abrasion resistance to cotton. Also instead of becoming clammy and sticky with sweat it drapes away from the body. I love the feel of my coolmax tee shirt, but I don't understand the logic in wicking fabrics in hot weather, isn't sweat made to cool you down?
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Actually in some cases the cotton absorbs the sweat in a way that renders the cooling potential of sweat ineffective. If your shirt gets soaked faster than the body produces new sweat, then the evaporation of sweat off of the skin's surface, which actually is the part of the process that does the cooling, doesn't happen.

Loose fitting synthetic or even hemp, as a less effective (but not as bad as cotton) alternative, is the way to go. The key is to have it fit loosely, as Dannyboy Leather has already said. When even loose fitting cotton becomes wet, it collapses against the body. Synthetics especially will retain their shape and loose fit because they dry faster, and stay off of the skin more, allowing better cooling action.

In the wilderness, especially in areas where temps can change drastically and quickly, cotton can kill you.

It's a "coined" survival saying: "Cotton kills."
 
Like Esav said, the lack of THC is what distinguishes it as hemp. I can (sort of) understand the idea behind making it illegal to pick because it's hard to tell the difference. I think the conspiracy theorists have a point (somewhat) that making it illegal to harvest protects the cotton industry by keeping it out of the spotlight. With the same technology applied to milling and weaving the fibers, I can't think of a single advantage of cotton. The price would drop if the crops were exchanged and the feel ("hand") of hemp can be just as soft as any cotton t-shirt. The days of hemp being next to burlap on the comfort scale are long gone. But it would last too long = people not buying as many clothes...

BTW, try hemp oil as a salad dressing sometime. Hemp hearts (cracked seeds) are great sprinkled on just about anything. Both should be available in health food stores. It's quite a useful and hardy plant.

HD, I'm with you^. Although you'd have to stay away from the campfire...

I saw another use for hemp fabric a while ago: lining the nail pockets of a cordura carpenters apron. I'm still kicking myself for not replacing my leather one.

Sorry Brian, I've got to give you a hard time here. Saying 'cotton kills' is like saying guns kill. It just ain't so: folks can use anything in an appropriate manner.
 
DeadeyeLefty said:
Sorry Brian, I've got to give you a hard time here. Saying 'cotton kills' is like saying guns kill. It just ain't so: folks can use anything in an appropriate manner.
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Deadeye, like all wilderness "rules," it varies depending on conditions. "Cotton Kills" is usually spoken in reference to hypothermia and the fact that it loses all of its insulating qualities when wet. In hot climes, even the jungle, it can go from extreme daytime heat to very cold at night.
 
I grew up in semi arid desert, so I'm uncomfortably familiar with temperature cycling. It doesn't matter what you're wearing, if you become wet in cold weather it's an issue that needs to be dealt with. Relying on any fabric to 'keep you alive' is a gross mistake that will kill you, maybe not as fast but just as dead. I think it's simplistic and even irresponsible that such a statement has worked it's way into such common usage, but we do live in the age of slogans, especially alliteral ones. It's not cotton that kills, it's misuse of your gear that kills. Unfortunately, the environment in which we choose to use them isn't very forgiving sometimes.

Cotton's not a great fiber for textiles overall IMO, but it certainly can't be blamed for exposure deaths of those wearing it. All winter backcountry travellers know that you avoid sweating in the first place. If you take an unplanned splash, that's an emergency regardless of what you're wearing.

It's like the old sailor's adage that the best sailors are the ones who can't swim.

Sorry RubberJohnny, I didn't mean to drag your thread off topic. I just can't help myself when that phrase is used.
 
I think we are saying the same thing, DeadEye. The reason for the "sayings" is so you remember them. Of course it's misuse that kills. It's also good to have easy reminders that help you remember the whole theory behind them. The temp cycle can be dealt with much more swiftly and/or when you have quick drying clothes or clothes that still will insulate you when wet. Cotton is not one of those items. Unfortunately, not all backcountry travellers are nearly as informed as we are here. That's why SAR is kept so busy.

Cotton as a cold weather item has been tested by many deceased people. It is useless and dangerous in cold climes once it becomes wet. And it does not dry fast either.

In a perfect world, you might be okay. But in the real world, Murphy's Law rears its ugly head. Why give him ammunition?

Think hard on this: you and I do not disagree here.
 
Brian, I agree that we're discussing the same side of the argument. I guess I just break everything down critically into causes and effects. Poor perspiration control and bad foot placement will kill you, cotton just shortens the time you have to rectify the situation. To adhere to a phrase as a mnemonic is to circumvent good backwood practices. In the case of hyperthermia, "cotton saves"...("wet warp and weft work wonders" maybe?)

This is general to those who shun natural fibers overall, but early fur traders dealt with this every day. Remember that these are guys going out with minimal gear, including one full set of clothes from which you pick and choose pieces to suit conditions. Yeah sure, many died of exposure. Many also died of infection, injury, and starvation. Somehow they managed weeks and months of snowy mountains and water crossings.
 
Deadeye, unless I misunderstand you, you must understand that in cases of exposure, you are better off naked than keeping wet cotton against your skin. Wet cotton has been proven to speed up heat loss by as much as 90%.

If the cotton is dry, then yes, it saves. Are we saying the same thing?

To advocate that wet cotton saves in cases of exposure is to give deadly and absolutely incorrect advice - period.

If you don't agree with this, then I can go into the specifics of the 5 heat-loss and heat-gain mechanisms, and the exact specifics of why and how cotton, when wet, will speed up heat-loss, and can create the critical imbalance that can tip one over to the deadly side of hypothermia.

The mountain men of old were pros at managing their exertion etc in the wilderness. And they often wore animal skins because they understood the need to protect from hypothermia.

DeadEye, I'm not trying to sound harsh -- but this is too critical for anyone to make the mistake of thinking cotton may save them when wet, and it must be stated unequivocally.
 
So is this where the saying "liar liar pants on fire" comes from, hemp clothing?

I don't own any hemp or linen anything but I've often thought linen would be a good bush material. Being from BC I almost feel like a traitor not advocating hemp though.
 
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