In this day of trying to do everything to help the enviroment, most of us think of the big things like recycling, switching to a flex fuel car or adding some solar panels to your house to save on the coal and nuclear generated electricity. But there is so much more that you can do to help when you buy your everyday things.

And what is that you ask? Hemp! Hemp is a very versatile and earth friendly plant. Here are some advantages of hemp over other fibers.

1. It requires no pesticides and very little water to grow. Remember it is a "weed" and requires very little to grow and gives back to the earth even after it is harvested.
2. Hemp has the three times the tensile strength of cotton. It is lightweight also. Put the two together and you have a long lasting, lightweight hemp product.
3. Hemp is also UV and mold-resistant, therefore is great for outdoor wear. Many of the clothes in the 1920's were made from hemp.

To learn more about the history of Hemp, read Hemp and Its History to learn why this fiber has gotten a bad rap. 

With this information in mind, you can see why Hemp would be a great fiber to make backpacks and bags. Check out the video below, these kids did a great job.