For centuries, hemp has been cultivated around the world and used to make just about everything: rope, clothing, paper, currency, sails — even the earliest American flags. But in 1937, the United States effectively banned the cultivation of hemp, and since then, hemp has faced an uphill battle of public perception and viable production in the US.

Just last year, however, Congress passed the Farm Bill, which re-legalized the cultivation of industrial hemp. 

So we spoke to Rob Jungmann, one of the pioneers of hemp apparel in the United States and the owner of Jungmaven apparel, to discuss Rob’s history in the hemp textile industry; the many uses for hemp (including eating it and building houses with it); how hemp differs from cotton in textiles; and shooting hemp T-shirts with a shotgun (seriously).

• Check out the rest of our “What You’re Wearing” series here.

TOPICS & TIMES:

• Anti-hemp propaganda (5:40)
• The battle for hemp legalization (9:15)
• The future of the U.S. hemp industry (13:31)
• Is there an ongoing hemp stigma? (15:30)
• The many uses & history of hemp (16:40)
• “Hempcrete” for building houses?? (18:13)
• What are hemp’s textile qualities? (21:04))
• Why blend hemp & cotton? (24:08)
• Shooting t-shirts with guns (26:10)
• Environmental benefits of growing hemp (31:26)
• Eat hemp every day (*Dr. Dre voice*) (35:44)
• Future of hemp apparel (40:08)

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