The hemp fleece used by Blue Penguin is a beautiful natural ivory color and made with 55% hemp/45% cotton. These diapers will last beyond their pure cotton counterparts, as hemp fibers are naturally stronger and more absorbent. Additionally, the natural antimicrobial properties of hemp not only inhibit the growth of bacteria, but also reduce stains, mildew, odors and fabric deterioration. Hemp is highly absorbent, has exceptional “breathability,” and is much stronger than pure cotton.

Not only this, but hemp is also far more earth-friendly than cotton and can be easily grown in a variety of climates and soil types. Hemp is better for the soil than cotton because: (1) hemp is naturally resistant to most pests, and so it doesn't require pesticides (cotton is responsible for roughly 50% of the world’s pesticide use). (2) hemp can be used in rotation with other crops. (3) hemp leaves the soil in good condition due to its deep roots. (4) hemp grows tightly spaced, out-competing any weeds, so it doesn't require herbicides and leaves a week-free field for the next crop.

At Blue Penguin, we make every effort to keep the price of our hemp products reasonable. Hemp, however, is more expensive than cotton, because it is imported. The growth of hemp has been effectively prohibited in the United States since the 1950’s, when its cultivation was doomed by the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937, which placed an extremely high tax on marijuana (same "family" as industrial hemp) and gradually made it effectively impossible to grow industrial hemp. While Congress expressly allowed for continued production of industrial hemp, the Federal Bureau of Narcotics lumped it with marijuana, as its successor the US Drug Enforcement Administration does to this day.

[above information from the North American Industrial Hemp Council, October 1997; from an article in The San Francisco Chronicle; and from “Hemp and Company.”]