...trademark from the German inventors as war reparations) of artificial fibres, DuPont ensured that hemp was no longer a competitor in the market for natural fibres.

Military uniforms were often made of hemp. Generally, hemp is coarser than flax, but far stronger and more durable, as well as cheaper, so was the preferred fabric for manufacturing uniforms. In the US, hemp made a brief resurgance during the Second World War as hemp was used extensively by the US for uniforms, canvas and rope.

Historical Cultivation

Whilst the fibre has been grown for millennia in Russia, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, commercial production of hemp in the United States took hold in the 18th century. Colonial and naval expansion at this time was rapidly increasing, so large quantities of hemp were needed for the manufacturing of rope and oakum. The US therefore became a large hemp producer and The Gulf and Carolina states had huge hemp industries. In fact, hemp was the largest cultivated crop after cotton.

Below is an excerpt on cultivating hemp taken from a book called The Household Cyclopedia of General Information published in 1881. This book contained lots of useful tips and recipes and illustrates how domestic cultivation of hemp was part of daily life in the United States at this time.