Benefits of Hemp Yarn

The anticipation of receiving my pound of hemp yarn in the mail is about to do me in.  I feel like I did as a child the week before Christmas when all I could do was think about what was going to be in the packages under the tree.  Except now I'm 30 and every time the UPS truck drives by, I want run out into the street, chase him down and yell, "Hey, you forgot to stop at my house!!!"  Fortunately, I'm a relatively sane woman (no laughing allowed) who has at least one ounce of self respect left in my body.  Oh yeah, I also have three boys and a husband who promise they can never be seen in public with me again should I actually pull off the maneuver.

As I promised on Monday, here is some info about hemp::  (~warning~  amazing properties of this fiber may cause mass hysteria)

What is hemp?
Hemp is a natural fiber from the cannabis sativa plant (no, it's not pot silly) which is specifically produced for yielding long soft fibers.

Benefits as Clothing
*Non~Allergenic
*Antibacterial
*Antifungal
*Ultra absorbant (perfect for cloth diapers!!)
*Washer and dryer friendly
      ~will not shrink
      ~gets softer each time you wash & dry
*Holds shape
*Acts like wool in that it breathes, absorbing moisture to cool the skin in hot weather and insulating in cold temps
*Blocks harmful uv rays
*3X stronger than cotton

Benefits to Environment
*Improves soil structure
      ~Root system is large (up to 3ft), anchors and protects soil from erosion
      ~Replenishes nitrogen and nutrients
*Biodegradable, Recyclable, and Reusable
*Grows very fast allowing large yields in every climate
*No herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers needed due to fast growing wide canopy of leaves. (Production of cotton consumes almost one half of the nation's ag chemicals used)
*Cleans up toxins from the ground through the process of phytoremediation

Other Uses for Hemp
*Paper
*Fuel
*Food
*Cosmetics
*Paints & Cleaners
*Building Materials

I'd love to hear about your experiences with hemp...