On a Mission / Hemp clothing designer Eden Sloss
Eden Sloss is paving the way to revolutionise the fashion industry, bringing hemp
clothing – in the form of Original Canvas – to the New Zealand marketplace.
Since her late teens, Eden, 23, has had an affinity with natural textiles and natural products. In Year 12 science classes Eden began to learn about the meaning of sustainability. She then went on to study fashion design at Otago Polytechnic. It was during this time that she came into contact with hemp cloth, a textile (and plant as a whole), that she says has changed her life.
‘It struck me straight away that the fashion industry is so unsustainable. They produce these amazing designs and creative pieces, but it doesn’t have a purpose after it’s appeared on the catwalk,’ reflects Eden. ‘Even the fabrics they use are completely unsustainable. There aren’t enough designers out there using natural fabrics all of the time, so I wanted to change that.’
Eden goes on to tell me about the effects of growing cotton on our ecosystems. With 16 per cent of all insecticides being used on just 2 per cent of the agricultural land available globally (the amount grown to cotton), cotton is damaging our land: affecting the economy, our health and our environment. The fashion industry is quoted as being the second most polluting industry after oil and gas.
So Eden started looking at alternate textiles that didn’t cost the earth. ‘Everywhere I turned, led me to hemp,’ she smiles.
It appears growing hemp is far better for the planet than growing cotton. The same land will produce two to three times as much hemp fibre per year as it will cotton. Hemp is easy to grow organically, requiring little or no help from pesticides or insecticides. Its roots can dig deep and hemp
therefore requires less irrigation and improves soil health through phytoremediation. It grows in a wide range of climates and leaves the soil enriched ready for the next crop. In addition it absorbs carbon dioxide from our atmosphere at four times the rate of most trees. ‘It’s the best form of carbon farming available to man,’ she raves.
On top of all these ecological benefits, there are many other reasons to like hemp. Hemp has eight times the tensile strength and four times the durability of cotton due to its fibre length. It is also softer and more absorbent than cotton, has no piling effect, and is very effective at blocking the sun’s UV rays.
And the good news for Eden is that hemp as a plant is becoming more readily available in New Zealand. Hemp fabric availability is still a long way off being easily accessible here, but it’s certainly picking up interest.
The ‘weird hippy’ stigma that surrounds hemp is fading since November 2018 saw a change in legislation. Prior to that hemp could only be sold in seed form for animal use. Hemp seeds in New Zealand can now be treated as ‘any other edible seed’ as the Misuse of Drugs (Industrial Hemp) Regulations 2006 and the Food Regulations 2015 have been amended to allow the sale of hemp seed as food. This is great news for the local hemp industry, which has argued for decades that the production of hemp seed foods will stimulate regional economies, create jobs and generate NZ$10–20 million of export revenue within three to five years (according to Food Safety Minister Damien O’Connor). Although hemp is a form of cannabis, it contains a very low (0.3 per cent) content of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is what produces the psychoactive effect.
So there was a perfect synergy when Brad Lake and Brendon McIntosh, owners of Christchurch-based Beefy Green (selling hemp-based protein powder and hemp seed oil) and Kōaka Cosmetics (selling hemp seed oil moisturiser, healing balm and lip healer), heard about Eden’s ventures. Brad and Brendon had launched their companies in 2018, with a vision of making New Zealand hemp products available for humans, as well as spearheading the way for the hemp industry in New Zealand. After several meetings and conversations, Original Canvas was born and as of February 2019 Eden is trading with a website shop and a view to selling throughout a number of boutique stores, once this fledgling business has cracked down on its supply chain.
‘It’s such a huge market, with last year seeing around 23 per cent growth globally,’ states Brad, 26. And clearly New Zealand retailers are seeing the same potential. In 2018 Beefy Green won a Foodstuffs FoodStarter competition. The prize was for their hemp seed protein bar to be ranged across 44 South Island New World stores.
And Eden would love this scope to grow. Her first collection includes men’s and women’s T-shirts, hoodies, shorts; clothes that people can wear day to day. But Eden’s sights are already on the gaps in the market.
‘I’ve got too many ideas,’ confides the entrepreneur.
‘But for now I’m focusing on producing clothing for the construction industry. It’s a breathable product, it’s bacteriaresistant and it’s incredibly hard-wearing. My friends in the sector tell me how many health and safety requirements there are, such as keeping their sleeves rolled down even when working in 30 degree temperatures. It all makes perfect sense to me, as hemp is so versatile.’
Whilst Canada has had a thriving hemp industry for over 20 years and Asia is growing over half of the world’s hemp, New Zealand has been slower to see the value in hemp. Farmers still need a licence to grow it and distribution is monitored. That said, things could be changing. Farms in Ashburton are growing most of Beefy Green’s and Kōaka Cosmetics’ stocks. Currently Eden sources her fabric from Australian and American wholesalers, but after recently returning from the Asian Hemp Summit in Kathmandu, Eden would like to cut out the middleman and source straight from the grower.
With a rural banking background, Brad believes hemp can revolutionise the New Zealand agricultural sector. ‘Farmers have been really struggling to improve viability with added
‘For now I’m focusing on producing clothing for the construction industry. It’s a breathable product, it’s bacteria-resistant and it’s incredibly hard-wearing.’
financial and compliance pressure, and I can’t see any other large-scale land using opportunities like hemp,’ enthuses Brad. ‘It’s a growing market, it’s sustainable and matches our 100% Pure New Zealand brand. Farmers are facing intensive pressure from both regulation and the urban population; here is a crop that can address many of these issues. There is no question of its economic and ecological benefits over existing intensive systems. Hemp is the most nutrient-dense seed on the planet. It’s a sustainable option that could become the backbone of our agricultural economy.’
Eden is committed to making Christchurch the home for her hemp clothing. ‘It’s a great place to do business. There is access to so many manufacturers, there are innovative products and suppliers popping up all over the place. I think the earthquakes have brought some openmindedness to the Cantabrians. We’ve had a bit of a reboot through this rebuild!’
With the help of high school friends coming to cut out patterns and sometimes jump behind the machines, and an ‘awesome pattern maker’ called Steph, Eden is able to focus on the creative and marketing side of the business whilst producing the majority of the garments herself.
So the future’s bright for this trio. Although hemp is a niche industry with restrictions still in place for growers, a groundswell is beginning to take effect with hemp-based food products popping up throughout New Zealand, and clothing not far behind. Any seed that we can grow locally and organically that is good for our health and the environment has to be a good thing. Isn’t it time for this strongest natural fibre to really take its hold?
‘Hemp is the most nutrient-dense seed on the planet. It’s a sustainable option that could become
the backbone of our agricultural economy.’