"Frank" frankdotlogullo@comcastperiodnet wrote in message
enigma wrote:
Frank frankdotlogullo@comcastperiodnet wrote in

I spent 20 years in textile fibers R&D. How bout yourself?

seriously? and you still claim that manmade fibers are more
enviromentally sound?
tell me, how long does it take nylon to biodegrade? can it easily be
recycled into paper? hemp & linen are both very strong fibers. cloth made
from them lasts many decades, but, should styles change or whatever, they
will easily be recyleable into pulp, or break down in compost.
(snip)

Basically you have to look at the entire life cycle of the material from
cradle to grave and include environmental needs. I have not seen a study
on hemp but recall such a comparison of cotton versus polyester.

You've seen "a study"? That study was on cotton. Have you seen one on hemp
vs petrochemicals?

This was an old study which would need updating but overall superiority of
polyester was largely due to durability of clothing and much lower energy
consumption in drying apparel.

To reach such a conclusion the study you quote must have concluded that all
clothes use an electricity supply for drying clothes.

Did it cover any more than just those who would be a limited number of end
users world wide who use such energy for clothes drying?

Most people think that natural fibers are more environmentally friendly
but if you farm, you know that a lot of energy goes into plowing,
planting, growing and harvesting.

That is a sweeping generalisation that surprises me coming from someone who
claims your experience. Wool is a natural fibre and requires no ploughing,
or planting.

The natural materials are harder to
process as they contain debris like seeds and dirt that must be separated.
I was also familiar with acetate and rayon fibers from cellulose, often
cotton waste, but these were phased out by industry largely due to
difficult, messy processes requiring a lot of costly pollution control.

Hemp probably has a niche in the market but I doubt it would ever be a
growing one.

It's more than "probably". It does have a niche market but it is growing
and not only in clothes production.

When it comes to clothing fibre, hemp, like wool and linen, is being
increasingly sought after by those who have an interest in quality. These
quality issues relate to factors like wearability and drape which isn't
replicated in petrochemical based fibre.

It also has a growing market/interest as a carbon sink crop and for
production of other items such as those Lee described (including biodiesel)
and also for paper and soap production and is still used for canvas
production.