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The Benefits of Eco-friendly Fabrics: A Comprehensive Guide

VoteHemp.com featured our very own Summer Star Haeske, who has not only worked with MTV on Pimp My Ride, but world-reknowned designers Versace, Calvin Klein and Donna Karan. From VoteHemp.com: HIA Board Member Summer Haeske currently serves as the National Sales Manager of EnviroTextiles, LLC, a family-owned company based in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, which imports and distributes hemp and hemp blend yarns, fabrics and finished textile goods. Haeske began working with Barbara Filippone when Filippone started EnviroTextiles back in 2001. Filippone is recognized as a pioneer in the business of hemp textiles. Filippone re-opened the Western textile market to Romanian hemp back in the early 1990s, followed by Chinese hemp after 1996. At this time, Haeske helped create Earth Goods, one of the first hemp apparel lines. Now in her eighth year at EnviroTextiles, Haeske possesses a full understanding of how to design and inspect fabrics, as well as how to pattern, grade and finish products. Together, Haeske and Filippone grew the company to $1 million in sales in 2006. Not only does Haeske manage sales, but she also organizes fashion shows for events that EnviroTextiles has sponsored, including the first sustainable business conference at the Fashion Institute in New York City in 2007. One of Haeske’s favorite projects was for MTV’s “Pimp My Ride” show, which featured the Earth Day car upholstered in sustainable hemp fabrics provided by EnviroTextiles. This past January, Haeske worked with top designers Versace, Calvin Klein and Donna Karan, each of whom incorporated EnviroTextiles’ fabrics into their designs featured at the 2008 Earth Pledge event during New York’s Fashion Week “Future of Fashion.” The designs were also showcased at Barney’s 5th Avenue for the month of February.

From The Economist print edition: Sprouting soon in North Dakota “PLANS are afoot for a great expansion of the hemp industry.” So proclaimed the Department of Agriculture in its rousing 1942 movie, “Hemp for Victory”, which urged farmers to rally to the cause: “Hemp for mooring ships! Hemp for tow lines! Hemp for tackle and gear!” The plant’s long, strong fibres twist easily into rope, which made it useful for parachute webbing. The war effort was imperilled when Japan’s seizure of the Philippines curtailed America’s supply. But despite the enthusiasm of wartime planners, hemp never took root (as it were). Taxes and regulations, introduced in 1937 but minimally enforced during the war, kicked in again during the 1950s. Hemp is a variety of the cannabis plant, which also produces marijuana-though industrial hemp has a much smaller concentration of the mind-blowing compound, THC, than the smokable stuff. America’s puritans, not to mention nylon-makers, wanted production shut down. Nowadays farmers are banned from growing hemp without a permit from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which usually refuses to grant one. So many hemp products in America-food, lotions, clothing, paper and so forth-are imported from China or Canada, where farmers have been allowed to grow hemp commercially since 1998. Could hemp make a comeback? America’s greens have fallen for the stuff, and not just because plenty like the occasional puff. Hemp grows so easily that few pesticides or even fertilisers are needed. “Feral” hemp is said to grow by the roadside in Iowa and Nebraska. Barbara Filippone, owner of a hemp fabric company called Enviro Textiles, says demand has rocketed-sales are growing by 35% a year. Nutiva, a California-based hemp company that sells hemp bars, shakes and oils, saw sales rise from under $1m three years ago to $4.5m last year. “Hemp is the next soy,” predicts John Roulac, Nutiva’s founder. American farmers would love to grow hemp. North Dakota, which in 1999 became the first state to allow industrial hemp farming, has taken the lead. This week two farmers from the state filed a lawsuit to force the DEA to issue permits to grow hemp; the farmers had applied for permits back in February, thus far to no avail. Ron Paul, a Texas congressman and presidential candidate, could win over farmers in Iowa because of his pro-hemp lobbying. In February he introduced a bill in Congress that would allow Americans to grow it. If hemp grows so easily, what about using the crop as a biofuel? A Mercedes-Benz “hemp car” did make its way across America six years ago. (Among other uses in cars, “Pimp My Ride”, an MTV show, featured a 1965 Chevy Impala that runs on biodiesel and has hemp upholstery.) Perhaps this is just the niche for Willie Nelson. He already has his own biodiesel line, called BioWillie, and is not unfamiliar with other uses of the cannabis plant.

The Flying Cloud Eco-Discovery Tour published this article after stopping to tour our facilities. Envirotextiles in Glenwood Springs, CO, is a pioneer in the development of hemp and hemp blend textiles. We were fortunate enough to spend several days with them recently and not only had a chance to learn more about their business, they shared a bit of their philosophy with us as well. Spearheaded by their tireless and charismatic founder Barbara Fillipone, they are leading by example the efforts to improve corporate responsibility and transparency in manufacturing processes and labeling. Her daughter Summer, through her work with the Hemp Industry Association, in addition to running the day to day operations, directs their efforts to help legalize industrial hemp production in the U. S. Working out of an old log church which they have lovingly rescued from a state of disrepair, Barbara, Summer, and their dedicated staff, designs, imports, and distributes a beautiful array of hemp and hemp blend textiles to manufacturers here and abroad. Barbara’s expertise in all aspects of the textile trade, and her dedication to sustainable manufacturing practices is reflected in the company’s products and culture. Barbara splits her time between their operations in Glenwood Springs and their manufacturing partners overseas. Her “hands-on” approach to every aspect of their business, from the raw materials to the social equity and manufacturing transparency policies of their suppliers insures both the quality of their goods and the quality of life of their suppliers’ work force. When we arrived, Barbara had just returned from Mexico where she is working on a variety of projects to benefit the locals many of whom work on her products, often at her own expense. Her passion for her products and the people that help make them is inspiring. There are so many stories that can be told about both Barbara and the company she leads, that it is hard to know where to begin. What started out as a one day visit, soon turned into several very enjoyable days trying to absorb all the projects they are involved with. It also helped lead us to our next stop, but that’s another story! To learn more about Envirotextiles visit our blog at: www.ecodiscoverytour.blogspot.com

Filippone and daughter bring hemp back from the era of our forefathers to modern day. Glenwood Springs, CO, 29 June 2012 —EnviroTextiles LLC (ET), a woman- owned business, is credited with developing, importing and selling hemp fabric for scarves sold by the Obama 2012 Campaign. The scarves are a fundraising item for sale on www.BarackObama.com and were designed by one of the first lady’s personal designers, Monique Péan. Barbara Filippone and daughter Summer Star Haeske of EnviroTextiles, provided the Obama Campaign and designer Monique Péan with the special fabric. The $95 eco scarf is made of 55% sustainable hemp and 45% certified organic cotton, a soft and lightweight flowing jersey knit. Monique Péan designed and organized the printing, and each scarf was cut and sewn in the USA! Filippone, who arrived from China yesterday, was elated to hear the President’s election campaign website marketing the scarf. “This is wonderful news!” she proclaimed, “The President can now educate the special interest lobbyist of America’s original industrial hemp policy. If I could make American made hemp fabrics and bring back more U.S. manufacturing, I will have completed my life’s work!” Every day, more and more Americans discover the benefits of hemp. This ever-expanding market includes more products to be made from a single plant then ever documented. But despite hemp’s growing popularity, an outdated and misguided federal policy – created in the 1930’s – currently prevents U.S. farmers from growing this nutritious, versatile, and eco-friendly crop. “It is time for federal policy on industrial hemp to reflect today’s reality and to enable a bountiful plant like hemp to be grown domestically for the benefit of families and farmers, the economy, and for the ecology of the planet. Hemp is not marijuana. It is a close cousin (variety of cannabis) but there are no psychoactive properties in the industrial versions; no different than the controversy around poppy seeds.” adds Filippone. ABOUT ENVIROTEXTILES – EnviroTextiles is a pioneer in the development of hemp and hemp blend textiles as well as other natural fiber products, and is the industry leader in the efforts to improve corporate responsibility and transparency in manufacturing processes and labeling. Filippone is considered a leading developer in hemp textiles and numerous other natural fiber products. Barbara Filippone was the first person to work directly with the Chinese starting in 1994 to design and standardize hemp- based fabrics and was the first importer of Chinese hemp and organic blends. Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren, Yves Saint Laurent, Versace, Calvin Klein, Derek Lam and even Volkswagen, MTV, and Hollywood production studios source their hemp textiles from Colorado- based EnviroTextiles. EnviroTextiles provided sustainable products to over 65 countries in 2011, all out of their US facility.

“Make the most of the hemp seed. Sow it everywhere.” George Washington, 1794 Rejoice Colorado farmers! Colorado Amendment 64 passed, allowing for the cultivation of industrial hemp. Most of the current buzz about the amendment is about legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes in the state. What has not made the national headlines is that Amendment 64 also included legalizing industrial hemp. Some key excerpts from Amendment 64 concerning hemp: In the interest of enacting rational policies for the treatment of all variations of the cannabis plant, the people of Colorado further find and declare that industrial hemp should be regulated separately from strains of cannabis with higher Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentrations. “Industrial Hemp” means the plant of the genus cannabis and any part of such plant, whether growing or not, with a Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol concentration that does not exceed three-tenths percent on a dry weight basis. “Marijuana” or “Marihuana” does not include Industrial Hemp, nor does it include fiber produced from the stalks, oil, or cake made from the seeds of the plant, sterilized seed of the plant which is capable of germination, or the weight of any other ingredient combined with marijuana to prepare topical or oral administrations, food, drink, or other product. No later than July 1, 2014, the general assembly shall enact legislation governing the cultivation, processing and sale of Industrial Hemp. Hemp is truly a wonder plant. There are over 25,000 confirmed uses for industrial hemp that include clothing, paper, plastic alternatives, building materials, and much more. Most products made from plastic, wood, or cotton can be made with hemp. What does this mean for Colorado farmers? For starters, hemp requires very little water and no pesticides and herbicides. With drought conditions in the state, hemp is the most viable cash crop to plant under these conditions. In addition to ease of growing, one acre of hemp can provide the same amount of fiber as 4 acres of cotton. While hemp cultivation has been outlawed in the US, manufacturers of hemp products in the US have been thriving in recent years. Given the difficulty of importing raw hemp for manufacturing, our farmers already have immediate demand for their new crops in existing and expanding domestic markets. Simply put, farming industrial hemp will provide the US with manufacturing jobs, expand green initiatives, and provide our struggling agriculture industry with a cash crop that can be grown across the country. EnviroTextiles is a pioneer in the Industrial Hemp industry, having overseen hemp cultivation and textile manufacturing in Romania, China, South Korea, Hungary, and Poland over the past 22 years. Conveniently located in Colorado, EnviroTextiles is poised to take full advantage of the ability to grow industrial hemp and is currently completing a vertical operation to produce hemp products in Colorado. UPCOMING EVENTS: November 10-11th: San Francisco Green Festival. November 12th: Hemp Industry Association (HIA) Annual Conference in San Francisco Media Contact: Summer Star Haeske EnviroTextiles, LLC Phone: (970) 945-5986 Fax: (970) 945-4456 summer@envirotextile.com https://www.envirotextile.com

Get involved today! If you would like to contribute to the goody bags or help with various looks to the fashion show please contact Summer Star at summer@envirotextile.com or call at (970) 956-5986. The show will be on January 24th from 9pm to 2am. January 3rd, 2012 Aspen, Colorado FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE EnviroTextiles to host trendsetting hemp fashion show at Winter X Games Launch Party “Hempalicious” fashion show featured with legendary hiphop artists on Aspen Mountain Sundeck Summer Star Haeske of EnviroTextiles is the producer and creator of Hempalicious, a cutting edge hemp fashion show featuring the hottest fashions. The fashion show will be the opening act of Pre-X, known as “The Hottest X-Games Party in Aspen”. The party will feature six performances by legendary hip hop icons and Colorado’s favorite electronic music performers. Performers include Twista, GriZ, Spice 1, Java Star, Devin the Dude, and Coughee Brothaz. X Games and the city of Aspen have a history of supporting sustainable products such as hemp clothing and finished products created by hemp. X Games hemp tote bags and Aspen employees hemp t-shirts have been provided by EnviroTextiles in previous years. The goal of Hempalicious is to educate concert goers on the versatility of hemp as a solution for sustainable and superior clothing. Summer Star, a veteran of hemp fashion shows, has produced over 30 hemp fashion shows across the country in the past decade. Summer Star is an active board member of the Hemp Industry Association and promoter for Hemp History Week. Discussing the upcoming fashion show, Summer Star said “There are no limits to fashion or functionality when making the decsicion to “Go Hemp”! You only gain quality, health and sustainability. Don’t forget one person can change the world and everything we do makes a difference.” EnviroTextiles, located in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, is a pioneer in sustainable textiles, specializing in hemp fabric and a variety of organic fibers. They currently provide wholesale hemp fabric, yarns, and finished products which are all sustainable textiles to over 70 countries around the world. Orders ship from our central location in Colorado to your destination within the U.S., Canada, and abroad. For more information: For Pre-X showtimes, and tickets contact: Jayson Vezzeso Plug’d Entertainment www.plugdentertainment.com Email: jayson@plugedentertainment.com Phone: (970) 379-8393 For more information on Hempalicious or EnviroTextiles contact: Summer Star Haeske EnviroTextiles www.envirotextile.com Email: summer@envirotextile.com Phone: (970) 945-5896

February 27, 2013 Glenwood Springs, CO FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE EnviroTextiles, LLC, a Colorado based Industrial hemp and natural fiber manufacturer, is pleased to announce that it has earned approval from the USDA BioPreferred® Program as the only Hemp products manufacturer to qualify for listing their products in the Federal Procurement Preferred category. To quote the USDA’s website: “The purpose of the USDA BioPreferred® program is to promote the increased purchase and use of biobased products. The program is expected to promote economic development, creating new jobs and providing new markets for farm commodities.” Barbara Filippone, President of EnviroTextiles, LLC believes, “The addition of hemp to aU.S.approved government program is a historic achievement for biodiverse agriculture, and is blazing the path to legalizing the growth of industrial hemp in theUnited States. Legalization would provide our farmers with a drought resistant, pesticide-free, multi-purpose, and value-added crop. Hemp has over 25,000 uses including variations of Food, Fuel, Feed, and Fiber.” “While critics fear that hemp will have little economic impact, the reality is clear. With investment in farming, manufacturing, and jobs training, the US could experience a large resurgence in virtually all industries – farming, manufacturing, and export to name a few. The reach of the industrial hemp industry has incredible potential, with the ability to introduce new raw materials that are already successfully used for wide ranging products across the world. Industrial hemp would open up new markets and expand existing markets while leaving a very small carbon footprint. “ “It should be noted that theUSis one of the world’s largest consumers of hemp derived products. However, we are unable to grow hemp locally and in all States until legislation currently under way is passed. The question is not if industrial hemp will have a positive impact in theU.S.- the question is will we see the opportunity to grow and develop this commodity within our own borders.“ EnviroTextiles is a woman-owned industrial hemp and natural fiber manufacturing company based in Glenwood Springs, CO, and is the largest importer of hemp textiles in the U.S. Barbara Filippone, founder and president of EnviroTextiles, has created thousands of jobs across the globe in her 37 years of developments surrounding natural fiber production. She has developed industry inIndia,Hungary,Poland,Romania,Mexico,South Korea, andChina, withChinapresently providing hemp to EnviroTextiles for their products. Being a leading expert in processing and economic development, EnviroTextiles proudly sells their products in theU.S.and to over 70 countries worldwide. EnviroTextiles presently has offices in theU.S.,China, andMexico, and focuses on natural fiber products and economic development in regions with commodity levels of various natural fibers. “Being one of the first companies to be USDA Bio-Preferred qualified and having Federal Procurement Preferred status, EnviroTextiles is leading the way for investment in bio-diversity, non-GMO farming, and job creation.”, Filippone stated. Please also note, EnviroTextiles is excited to announce we celebrated our 12th year in business on February 15th, 2013. Thanks to all that have supported us over the years! For more information please visit: http://www.biopreferred.gov/ https://www.envirotextile.com/ http://www.votehemp.org Senate Bill 359 – Excluding industrial hemp from the Controlled Substances Act: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/s359 For more information on EnviroTextiles contact: info@envirotextile.com Phone: (970) 945-5986

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Glenwood Springs, CO May 8, 2013 While traveling to Shanghai, Barbara Filippone, owner and founder of EnviroTextiles, ran across an odd advertisement as she passed through customs. The ad implied that corn will compete with cotton for investment, and depicted an ear of corn in a green sweater. As an advocate for natural fibers and non-GMO agriculture, Ms. Filippone began to assemble the message behind the ad. Corn used to produce fabric for clothing has been around for several years, with Naturework’s Ingeo fabric leading the pack; however corn fabric has still not been able to take hold in the apparel marketplace. Using a plant based fabric for clothing sounds like a great idea right? We grow tons of corn in the US and the resulting fabric should be “natural” we would assume. Let’s slow down here for a second. What is Ingeo and who is its creator, Cargill Dow? They must be sustainable companies focused on improving health and the environment right? Nope. Cargill doesn’t get as much press as its partner in crime, Monsanto, but their coalition to control the world’s food supply is very real. As GreenAmerica.org notes, “Cargill has tried to “green” its image with NatureWorks PLA, a biodegradable synthetic material that uses a corn base instead of petroleum, but Cargill does not publicize the fact that the corn used to produce NatureWorks PLA is genetically modified.” As it turns out, Natureworks and Ingeo are both part of a campaign to make Cargill look environmentally and socially responsible in an attempt to shield their true purpose, to commercialize photosynthesis. Cargill’s CEO, Gregory Page stated in 2011, “Cargill is engaged in the commercialization of photosynthesis. That is the root of what we do.” Commercialize photosynthesis? What could possibly go wrong? The case for corn fabrics is simple; it is not natural in any form or function. The corn itself is genetically modified corn, Monsanto’s greatest “achievement”. Once the corn is harvested, it must undergo extreme chemical processing in order to become fiber for the fabric using many of the worst chemicals known on earth! The process of making viscose (synthetic fiber) is so damaging to the environment that its production is in decline, at least as long as we can keep this “natural” corn fabric out of the apparel industry. Corn fabric is not the only concerning development in the apparel world, but it may be the next battle to keep GMO and chemically manufactured fabrics from invading our bodies.

Rampant staph infections continue to cost lives unnecessarily. One powerful weapon to fight this scourge is being successfully deployed by China’s military: industrial hemp. Staph is spread by direct contact and by touching items that are contaminated such as towels, sheets, privacy curtains, and clothing. As noted by the San Francisco Chronicle, “It is estimated that each year 2 million Americans become infected during hospital stays, and at least 90,000 of them die. MRSA (an antibiotic resistant strain of staph) is a leading cause of hospital-borne infections.” One of the most important recent discoveries is hemp’s ability to kill surface bacteria, while cotton, polyester, and polyethylene allow it to remain on their surfaces for up to months at a time. Unknown to many, hemp fabrics exist in today’s market that can replace each of these transmission prone hospital items. Technological improvements for hemp textile development began in the early 90s when EnviroTextile’s lead textile engineer, Barbara Filippone, began working with hemp in China. To date, the company has over 100 hemp and hemp blended fabrics available to suit any traditional fabric application. In addition to staph resistance, other tests show hemp fabrics superior resistance to UV and infrared wavelengths, providing multiple applications for military use. Hemp fabric was tested against two bacteria strains, Staphylococcus Aureus (staph) and Klebsiella Pneumoniae (pneumonia). The fabric tested was a hemp blend, 60% hemp and 40% rayon. The staph test sample was already 98.5% bacteria free during the first measurement of the testing, while the pneumonia fabric sample was 65.1% bacteria free. These results, even prior to the tests completion, clearly display the fabrics unique capability at killing bacteria and reducing their spread. This is especially imperative for healthcare facilities. For infrared testing, the same hemp blend was analyzed resulting in a test result of 0.893, or nearly 90% resistant. Different blended fabrics have the potential to increase the percentage of this initial test, especially fabrics with a higher percentage of hemp. Many of hemp’s applications will benefit our military, and EnviroTextile’s hemp fabrics have recently been approved by the USDA as Federally Preferred for Procurement under their BioPreferred Program. Thirty one states have introduced pro-hemp legislation and 19 have passed pro-hemp legislation. The potential for military and national adoption of hemp appears to be moving forward expeditiously considering a decade’s long ban. As science continues to “rediscover” the benefits of hemp for society, the solution is emerging from the fog of prohibition. Hemp is no longer an ancient fiber and it is well on its way to be the future of fabric. EnviroTextiles is woman-owned industrial hemp and natural fiber manufacturing company with their headquarters in Glenwood Springs, CO, and is the largest manufacturer/importer of hemp and natural fiber textiles and products in the United States. EnviroTextiles proudly sells their products in the U.S. and to over 70 countries worldwide. The company presently has their presence in the US, China, and Mexico, and focuses on natural fiber resources and economic development in regions with commodity levels of various natural fibers. References: Survival of Enterococci and Staphylococci on Hospital Fabrics and Plastic – http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC86187/ San Francisco Chronicle, “HEALTH / High staph infection rates in hospitals stun public health officials / New study reports lethal drug-resistant bacteria widespread” – http://www.sfgate.com/health/article/HEALTH-High-staph-infection-rates-in-hospitals-2554708.php

The textile industry must embrace natural fibers to eliminate toxic products A dangerous flammable fabric is being imported into the US that fails to meet basic fire standards. Testing a fabric sample with the “disposable lighter test,” a very simple test where you put a lighter’s flame to the fabric shows that this fabric fails miserably. The mystery fabric ignites like a sparkler, dripping molten chemicals that burn into the surface of anything that they drip on. The fabric is labeled as 100% polyester, although silver-nano particles can be seen with the naked eye. Silver particles generally provide anti-microbial properties. Oddly, our test fabric was marketed as “stain resistant” instead of “anti-microbial.” Burned Fabric Relating to the fire testing on the label, Barbara Filippone of EnviroTextiles stated, “These are some of the strictest fire rating tests in the hospitality and commercial application industries. They provide the customer assurance that this fabric is not flammable. I have 40 years of experience in textiles, and this is a completely false label as shown. When I held a lighter to the sample it ignited like a 4th of July sparkler, dripping molten chemical substance. Normal polyester when held to a lighter will roll back on itself and when cooled the polyester becomes quite hard like a plastic.” The fabric’s label indicates that the following tests were performed, with commentary by Barbara Filippone: Flame Codes: NFPA 701 small scale 2004 UFAC Class 1 NFPA 260 Cal Tech Bulletin 117 SEC.E Finish – Nanotex Stain Moisture Resistant Finish: “Based on the fact that nano is smaller than a molecule and that silver was intended for anti-microbial properties, the flame tests are not accurate. The silver particles can be seen with the naked eye and are not embedded. When ignited, the silver becomes airborne. The nano terminology that was used on the labeling to describe the finishing is totally misleading.” Content – 100% Polyester: “The burn characteristics do not appear to be polyester. In my professional opinion this may not be polyester.” Abrasion – Exceeds 102,000 Double Rubs: For abrasion testing, there are two standard tests, the Martinson and the Wyzenbeek. The numbers of rub cycles for general contract upholstery are only 20,000 cycles for the Martindale and 15,000 for the Wyzenbeek, nowhere near the 100,000 mark. “If labeled correctly, the abrasion tests would indicate which test standards were used. For example, what abrasion material was used, cotton or wire? How many pounds of pressure were used?” Cleaning Code – Washable: “Will the silver particles make it through a commercial washing? When I hand washed the sample in warm water silver particles were clearly visible in the bottom of the sink.” In the early nineties a synthetic georgette fabric was banned from import due to its high flammability. Ms. Filippone was featured on Denver 9 News burning a skirt made from the flammable fabric. That fabric was banned from the US following the flame demonstration. This footage can be found in the 1994 NBC affiliates’ archives on Channel 9 Denver News. EnviroTextiles has a copy for reference if needed. Flammable Fabric Label Another case for false labeling that can be spotted in retail outlets are outdoor performance products contain CoolMax™, a moisture wicking fabric developed by DuPont in 1986. Products containing Coolmax clearly list organic cotton, spandex, and CoolMax™; however what CoolMax™ actually contains is anyone’s best guess. Drought conditions have created a shortage of organic and traditional cotton, and the countries which produce cotton are under social conflict making it difficult for foreign buyers to trust supply. India is currently one of few stable suppliers although the price of cotton is at all time highs. Without a stable cotton supply, the textile industry will likely continue its shift to more synthetics. We must become more conscious as consumers or we all may be wearing plastic clothing made from GMO corn in the future. Consumers should aggressively support programs for transparent labeling on all products, not just food items. The USDA’s BioPreferred program was recently created to provide consumers with product transparency for products marketed as green and sustainable. Programs like the USDA Bio Preferred program are essential to insure that our “green” products are actually what they say they are. EnviroTextiles produced the first example of transparency labeling in 2004 when Filippone decided that since our food products show content, it makes sense to provide the same transparency for all products.

EnviroTextiles warns of EXTREMELY flammable fabric currently imported into the US. The natural colored sample is a 100% natural fiber blended fabric with no fire retardant or chemical processing. The dark colored fabric is labeled as 100% polyester and apparently passed stringent fire tests.

Our CSR Program in Mexico is the Otomi’s only source of income for food and necessities. The village is rationing their remaining food supplies and desperately needs our help. Please purchase just one scrubbie today, the proceeds will feed one child for an entire week! Our 100% agave scrubbies are the perfect replacement for all of your sponges. They (unlike your typical filthy kithen sponge) are so sturdy that they will easily outlast a 10 pack of kitchen sponges. At our office, we hand wash our dishes daily and we have been using the same agave scrubbie for two years and counting and it hasn’t started to break down yet! Please call us today and order at least one scrubbie!

Barbara spent 4 days at the Aspen Renewable Energy Days 10th anniversary summit, accompanied by Dan Enright. During the conference they were able to meet with several of the speakers including Ted Turner, General Wesley Clark, and T. Boone Pickens, Aspen Renewable Energy Day’s (AREDAY) 10th anniversary culminated with an inspiring gala held at the Doerr-Hosier Center at the Aspen Meadows on August 17, 2013. Dr. Sylvia Earle presented a moving keynote address, followed by headliners Ted Turner and Reverend Jesse Jackson in conversation with AREDAY co-founder Sally Ranney. This serious summit, titled “Advancing Clean Energy: Transition to a Stable Global Economy,” covered renewable energy in areas of science, finance, government, and technology development, among others. Founded by Chip Comins and Ranney, the globally recognized event featured the AREDAY summit, expo, film festival, and a special tribute concert by Taj Mahal.

Could hemp have a future in Garfield County? Amanda H Miller, Citizen Telegram, January 9th, 2014 Colorado farmers can register for licenses to grow industrial hemp starting March 1. But will Garfield County growers pursue it? “It’s hard to know what to expect,” said Ron Carleton, deputy commissioner for the Colorado Department of Agriculture. “There seems to be a fair amount of interest. The last few months we’ve gotten a number of general inquiries.” He said he didn’t know how many of those inquiries were coming from the Western Slope or how serious any of them were. When voters passed Amendment 64 in 2012, they didn’t just vote to allow recreational marijuana sales, but also cultivation of industrial hemp – a crop that does not contain the drug component of marijuana, THC. It’s commonly used in fabrics, paper, rope, soaps and oils. Legality and logistics Industrial hemp used to be a major crop in the United States. The Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper and the government launched the “Hemp for Victory” campaign to urge farmers to grow it during World War II. In the 1970s, farmers were required to get a permit from the federal Drug Enforcement Agency to legally cultivate it. “The DEA doesn’t issue the permits,” Carleton said. “That’s the biggest problem.” But the U.S. Attorney General’s office issued a statement last year that it wouldn’t intervene in hemp and marijuana cultivation in states that legalized it. Some Colorado farmers have grown hemp crops without interference, even though state regulations didn’t yet allow it. “I don’t know of anyone in our area who is seriously talking about growing it,” said Pat McCarty, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension agent. The risk farmers would take is likely to be a significant deterrent, he said. Farmers have every reason to be wary, said Barbara Filippone, founder of EnviroTextiles in Glenwood Springs. Her company imports finished hemp products for local textile manufacturing. While Filippone is confident there will eventually be a local hemp industry, she believes farmers need to be careful even after they get state permits. Licenses won’t make Colorado hemp farmers immune to federal prosecution, Carleton agreed. “There’s no question that one of the challenges is going to be getting seed,” he said. “The federal government said it wouldn’t interfere with growing, but I don’t know how they will feel about using the U.S. Postal Service to transport seed.” Will local farmers try? Other than general questions and casual conversation, McCarty said he doesn’t know of any Garfield County farmers who are seriously considering hemp. “People are always interested in alternative crops,” he said. “If you’re on the leading edge, it could be lucrative. But realistically, we don’t have the infrastructure for the industry.” That’s a major barrier. Local agriculture experts have tried to grow sugar beets on the Western Slope and couldn’t make the numbers work because crops have to be hauled too far. Sunflower seeds were introduced in Northeast Colorado with some success years ago. But the market has dried up without good marketing and nearby processing facilities. “Besides, we don’t have a lot of true farmers left in our area,” McCarty said. The local agricultural industry has shifted toward cattle ranches. Those who do still raise crops grow alfalfa grass and hay. “There would be a pretty steep learning curve,” McCarty said. “Obviously, at one point it was a major crop, but it hasn’t been for decades. I don’t know if there’s anyone alive in Garfield County who ever raised it.” Is there a market? Filippone has helped to build hemp industries in countries around the world, such as India, Romania, Poland, China, Thailand and South Korea. She said there is a market for hemp in the U.S. and Colorado is ideally situated to take advantage of it. But the market isn’t what people expect. “I’ve had farmers asking me what they need to do to make T-shirts,” she said. That’s not the market for U.S. hemp, Filippone noted. The country already imports all the textile fiber it needs and there’s no way to compete with nations that already have mature hemp industries, she said. The secret to success will be food-grade hemp seeds and oil, plus ground stalks for use in concrete and other building materials, Filippone said. She estimated it will take a $29 million investment to build up the local infrastructure needed to support a new hemp industry on the Western Slope, but feels local farmers will be able to start the industry from the ground up. Filippone said seeds and oil could be processed locally with a small investment in equipment for a central processing station. The stalks could sell to concrete and gypsum board manufacturers on the Western Slope. Carleton noted the state permit is only good for one year and farmers need to have a contract to sell their product to receive one. “We’ll have a better idea of the interest level after March 1,” he said.

An expanded mill to make socks from hemp and other natural fibers. A factory to process thousands of acres worth of locally grown hemp plants into seed oil. And a manufacturing facility to break the hearty plants down into sustainable building materials. These are just a few of the plans that Glenwood Springs entrepreneur Barbara Filippone, 56, has for the hemp industry on the Western Slope. With the adoption last week of formal hemp cultivation rules by the Colorado Department of Agriculture, her economic development dreams are inching closer to reality. Since Colorado voters passed Amendment 64 in 2012 legalizing industrial hemp along with its botanical relative, marijuana, Filippone said people have been “coming out of the woodwork” to talk with her about growing hemp or investing in hemp related businesses. Filippone is uniquely suited to pounce on the burgeoning hemp industry: Along with her daughter, Summer Star Haeske, she currently runs the natural fiber business EnviroTextiles out of a former church in Glenwood Springs. The business imports and distributes all manner of textiles and yarns made from natural fibers, including hemp, and Filippone has more than three decades of experience helping countries like Canada and China develop their domestic hemp sectors. Like marijuana, hemp is a variety of cannabis sativa, but it contains almost none of pot’s intoxicating THC. With its close resemblance to marijuana, hemp remains federally illegal to grow, but the U.S. Justice Department indicated last summer that it doesn’t intend to interfere with the implementation of Amendment 64. At present, all the hemp that EnviroTextiles handles is imported, but Filippone hopes that won’t be the case for long. In recent months, she’s begun gathering private investment for a western Colorado agriculture and manufacturing plan that she claims could create more than 170 local jobs in its first phase alone. Although the plan remains confidential, it involves making textiles, building materials, hemp seed oil and other products from factories based between Glenwood Springs and Grand Junction. Filippone said she’s fielded calls from hundreds of farmers interested in growing hemp in Colorado, and recently had a visit from a woman representing the owner of 50,000 agricultural acres on the Front Range. Ken Sack, the owner of the Silt-based farm Eagle Springs Organic, is also in early-stage talks with Filippone about converting some of his acreage into hemp production next year. “It sounds interesting, and we definitely have the room,” said Sack, a former Florida pharmacist who now supplies Whole Foods grocery stores and farmers markets across the state with produce from his 1,600-acre farm. “I hear that hemp takes a lot less water than other crops, and hopefully it’s less problematic than marijuana.” Filippone said she’s excited about a potential collaboration with Eagle Springs, and about the possibility of selling hemp grown in Silt to manufacturers of building materials on the Western Slope. “Because of our locations, it seems like a natural fit,” she said. State rules in place, interest growing, but federal questions loom Compared to the thousands of pot farmers who are racing to set up shop before Colorado’s recreational marijuana market debuts next year, hemp farmers in Colorado will have a fairly straightforward set of rules to follow. Regulations approved last week by the Colorado Department of Agriculture require hemp growers in the state to pay a $200 annual fee, plus $1 for every acre of hemp they grow. They’ll also have to cover the cost of random state inspections intended to make sure that their hemp plants contain less than 0.3 percent THC, and thus can’t be used to get people high. Despite the relatively light regulatory burden, some farmers remain nervous about the fact that hemp remains illegal under federal law. There are questions about whether shipments of hemp seed from countries like Canada could be intercepted by U.S. customs agents, and the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, which represents large growers of commodity crops across Colorado, has warned its members to abstain from planting hemp for now, out of fear that it could jeopardize their federal crop insurance. So far, the lone known planting of the crop in Colorado took place last spring on about 60 acres of land in Springfield, in southeast Colorado, and the farmer responsible had to smuggle his seeds into the U.S., according to media reports. “Right now, there’s definitely an interest, and some farmers are willing to take the risk and jump in and go while others are waiting until the issues get ironed out,” said Mike McDermott, a Palisade-based farmer who runs a peach orchard, an alpaca farm and a small mill that blends alpaca yarn and Filippone’s fibers into socks. For Sack, the assurance that the federal government won’t intervene if his hemp plants are approved by the Colorado Department of Agriculture would go a long way toward putting him at ease about hemp. McDermott suspects that many other farmers feel the same way. “I think once the farmers get through the whole legal aspect, it will catch on fairly quickly,” he said, adding that hemp is hardier that wheat, corn or other commodity crops and thus ideally suited for the dry and sometimes turbulent conditions of western Colorado. “We can grow it in pretty much any soil condition we want, and we can utilize 100 percent of the plant,” he said. “If a farmer sees an opportunity to make money without the maintenance of other crops, they’re going to be interested in that.”

CBS Channel 5 visited with EnviroTextiles to get some updates on hemp farming in Colorado To view the complete video featuring Barbara and Summer please visit For the complete video taken at our offices, please visit: http://www.krextv.com/story/colo-farmers-prepare-to-register-for-hemp-licenses-20140117 GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. – The end of hemp prohibition in America has commenced. Some farmers in Colorado have already begun planting hemp, and all Colorado farmers can officially register to grow the crop come March 1. Glenwood Springs based company EnviroTextiles, LLC is the manufacturer and importer of more than 100 hemp fabrics world wide. Farmers from across the country have been contacting them daily, asking about machinery, harvesting and processing. They also have many other questions about the budding industry. Summer Star Haeske, COO and International Sales and Marketing Director of EnviroTextiles, said, “Colorado is leading the nation in being the first state to go forward with allowing our farmers to grow industrial hemp and start to build a viable industry.” The Colorado Department of Agriculture and the Industrial Hemp Advisory Committee have worked to draft rules and establish registration and inspection protocols. Among them, all registrants are subject to sampling of their industrial hemp crop to verify the THC concentration does not exceed three-tenths of one percent. President and Lead Product-Developer for EnviroTextiles, Barbara Filippone, said, “The number of inquiries from farmers is unprecedented.” She says she receives a minimum of five calls per day. Filippone is a main player in the hemp industry. When asked if she could see this being a multi-million dollar industry in Colorado, Filippone replied, “Billion.” However, one factor of the industrial hemp business remains unclear. “Where do we get our seed? Which is not really being publicly clarified,” said Filippone. Importing hemp seed is illegal. Ron Carleton, Deputy Commissioner for the Colorado Department of Agriculture, tells NewsChannel 5, “Because of federal law, importing seed into Colorado is not a viable, legal option. So growers will have to obtain their seed from within the state. We will not require that registrants identify the source of their seed as part of the registration process.” Filippone recommends farmers register in order to grandfather the cost of the license, however, she cautions farmers to wait before growing. From her professional standpoint and observations, Filippone believes crops should not be planted until it’s federally secured and endorsed. Without that security, too much risk lies on the farmer. “I will not allow the farmers ‘don’t ask don’t tell’. They have too much risk,” she said. While inconsistencies remain, leaders are staying positive. “It’s finally now coming to fruition,” said Haeske. “The United States is going to utilize world trade agreements, NAFTA and start playing with the rest of the world, by supplying the rest of the world, rather than lose our jobs to other countries. Amen.” Two types of registration will be allowed: Research and Development (R & D) and Commercial. R & D is limited to 10 acres or less and will be charged a registration fee of $100 plus $5/acre. Commercial registrants are not limited in size of acreage and will be charged a registration fee of $200 plus $1.00/acre.

Barbara Filippone interview on Freedomizer Radio discussing concerns in the textile market.

An in depth interview with Barbara Filippone by Peter Eugene on the Conscious Consumer Network, discussing the hazards of synthetic textiles and the benefits of sustainable textiles and hemp.

Glenwood Springs, CO (PRWEB) February 09, 2015 EnviroTextiles is introducing antibacterial hemp fabrics into the children’s plush toy market thanks to a new partnership with a humanitarian teddy bear company, Bears for Humanity. The plush bears are intended for children in need, including many children living in isolated hospital environments. EnviroTextiles founder Barbara Filippone has provided certified agricultural fibers for the apparel industry over the past 23 years. Now that she’s working with Bears for Humanity and its President Vijay Prathap, she’s launching a new healthcare market for her certified organic hemp textiles to supply various products including lab coats, privacy curtains, sheets, towels and patient gowns. Early testing indicates that the anti-static materials developed for Bears for Humanity’s teddy bears are safe for sensitive hospital environments like CT scan rooms and prevent the spread of bacteria and other known bio hazards. Allowing children to carry their teddy bears with them into testing will provide better experiences for the children. The teddy bears could lead to using organic hemp blended fabrics for garments and many other materials in healthcare applications. “Hemp’s natural antibacterial qualities make this a natural fit,” says Filippone. “Vijay came into my life at exactly the right moment,” Filippone explains. “Just when scared children need warm and furry hugs to boost their spirits – and just when the U.S. healthcare market needs safer products – these little bears are going to change everything.” Bears for Humanity produces 100 percent certified organic natural fiber teddy bears. Their teddy bears are assembled in Union City, California, and for every bear sold they will donate a bear to a needy child through their highly-rated network of charitable partners such as Toys for Tots, Intel, Save the Children, and OneSimpleWish.org. Ordering information and further details about their mission can be found at http://www.BearsForHumanity.com. EnviroTextiles, LLC is developing an initial product line of organic hemp medical supplies for wholesale customers. Hospitals and interested parties can visit https://www.envirotextile.com/hemp-medical-supplies/ to learn about joining our beta group of healthcare professionals. Bears for Humanity trains and employees individuals through California’s welfare-to-work program, CalWorks, convinced that building a strong community is part of the solution to a sustainable future. Visithttp://www.cdss.ca.gov/calworks to learn more about our partnering program to provide jobs to at-risk mothers, fathers and caregivers. For more information about EnviroTextiles or to schedule an interview, contact Barbara Filippone at info(at)envirotextiles(dot)com or Barbara(at)EnviroTextile(dot)com, 970-945-5986. For more information about Bears for Humanity or to schedule an interview, contact Vijay Prathap at Vijay(at)Bears4Humanity(dot)com, 312-685.8866.

The Texas Hemp Industry Association reported that the Texas Dept of Public Safety confiscated several CBD based medications from local pharmacies. They believe that these medicines are in fact legal, and that the wording of the SB 339, the Compassionate Use Act, is causing confusion for cannabis derived medicines, even with low to no THC. The THIA is acting as an intermediary between medicine suppliers, regulators, pharmacies, and patients to ensure that legal medicines will be allowed for sale in Texas.

The Agricultural Commissioner of Kentucky is hoping to have the feds adjust their most recent guidelines for industrial hemp. Approximately half of Kentucky’s hemp crop is used not for fiber or fuel, but for medicines using CBD. Medicines and foods are not permitted under Kentucky’s pilot program for hemp research, and this discrepancy is likely to create several issues and slow down the new industry.

Industrial hemp plastic could be the beginning of the end to the Age of Plastic! Let’s face it plastic is a problem, it is not environmentally friendly and we STILL don’t even know it’s expiration date but Hemp holds many possibilities as an Eco-friendly replacement. Among global warming, oil spills, and fracking disasters our planet screams out “It’s Time For A Change”. We are addicted to oil and most of us don’t even recognize it. First of all it is used to make everything plastic, as well as, fuel vehicles, make shoes, and many other products. There are companies all over the globe including the United States that have been using hemp for various materials, including a hemp plastic that is 100% biodegradable. We do have a plastic addiction here in the US, but fortunately there are companies out there trying to replace plastic with something more environmentally friendly. The Farm Bill Section 7606 was passed allowing industrial hemp to be grown and harvested for research and trial runs at the end of 2014. It is estimated that 19 states are currently involved with the research and development of industrial hemp, American Hemp is just one of the first newly established companies. They are located in Winston Salem, North Carolina. The company deals with research and development programs that are designed to improve various hemp products and materials. They strive to make 100% environmentally safe materials that will create less of a negative impact on the Earth. American Hemp offers processed hemp to various manufacturers. They provide hemp fibers for textiles, building materials, biocomposites, hempcrete and many other materials. Will Hemp Plastic Ever Thrive In The US? There are several entrepreneurs and small business owners currently seeking funding to endorse their hemp products. However, if you look to Australia or India you will notice there are already several well established companies offering many different hemp products including hemp plastic, clothes, shoes, building materials, and much more. One of our famous founding fathers, George Washington, famously grew hemp and Henry Ford was making car parts out of industrial hemp back in the 1940’s. There is even a rumor that Mr. Ford never intended for his vehicles to run on gasoline, rather a hemp based fuel, but you never know. In 2014 the senior project manager at the Lego headquarters decided to begin researching in order to have future Lego products created out of hemp plastic or bioplastics. The truth is, there is definitely potential for bioplastics and other hemp products to eventually hit the shelves throughout the US. It has been a very slow going process but as Bob Dylan said “The Times They Are A Changing” If you do a little searching it won’t take long before you stumble upon some really amazing products made using hemp. Studies have been underway for years now and there are businesses all throughout the world already providing hemp made products. Hemp takes less time to grow, creates more oxygen, and has many uses from food to building materials. Replacing plastic with hemp plastic is a very crucial move we need to make in the United States. There is another way we can see and it is time we make that change..

Micah Nelson is the son of the notorious celebrity who is an advocate for cannabis and industrial hemp, Willie Nelson. Micah is following in his father’s footsteps in advocating for industrial hemp, as he has just been named as one of the Board of Directors for National Hemp Association. Last weekend, the acclaimed musician, Micah, entertained fans at the Farm Aid 2016 last weekend by playing a hemp guitar. Micah is the founder of a band called Insects Vs Robots, which has been bringing experimental and boundary-less music to loyal fans since 2008. Micah’s father, Willie Nelson, has been inducted into the National Agricultural Center Hall of Fame. In a press release from National Hemp Association, the organization’s chair, Michael Bowman, explained the similarities between Micah and his father. “The passion for social and environmental justice was instilled in Micah,” Bowman said. “It is part of who he is. We could not be more excited to welcome him to our board. Like his father before him, Micah has a powerful passion for advocacy.” Micah is already well-known for his advocacy toward industrial hemp legalization, which makes him a strong addition to the National Hemp Association’s Board of Directors. In a change.org petition, Micah has gathered over 50,000 signatures petitioning congress to pass the Industrial Hemp Farming Act. The petition is called “Allow American Farmers to Grow Industrial Hemp.” In this petition, Micah wrote, “In 1985, my dad, Willie Nelson, helped organize Farm Aid, a benefit concert for America’s family farmers. He’s always been dedicated to helping farmers and the environment—something he’s passed on to his children.” He continued to explain that not allowing American farmers to grow hemp is one of the most important issues in the United States. Micah continued to explain how important it will be to allow American farmers to grow and sell hemp, which is an extremely useful, sustainable and economically vital plant that will help rural communities and to rebuild depleted soil.

Don Basile CONTRIBUTOR Don Basile is an entrepreneur and venture capitalist with more than 20 years of executive experience in technology, healthcare and telecommunications. More posts by this contributor: Ethics — the next frontier for artificial intelligence Tech companies and the global rise of e-sports Marijuana is an ancient plant with borderline mystical properties — just ask the 266 million people who smoke it every year. Hemp, the industrial strain of Cannabis sativa , has been used for many purposes — food, fuel and textiles among them — for tens of thousands of years. Unlike its sister strain, hemp can’t get you high. But much like the drug, it has extraordinary qualities. America is no stranger to hemp. In fact, Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag with hemp and George Washington farmed it at Mt. Vernon. Unfortunately, its full potential was never realized; drug restrictions that banned marijuana suppressed hemp, too. This spurious conflation quashed the industry for about 60 years, until a 2014 farm bill defined it as an agricultural crop, leaving the door ajar to American farmers. As marijuana laws continue to loosen across the country — and the world — it looks like hemp could be brought back in a big way. With China leading in worldwide hemp production and Canada having capitalized on it during America’s drug war, now is the time to get in the game. In today’s fast-paced and tech-driven world, this means re-adopting the plant for today’s innovation economy. Hemp could make a huge difference in everyday products, certainly. But even more exciting are the groundbreaking research and high-tech products it’s already spearheading. Amazing properties Before we launch into some of hemp’s cooler applications, it’s important to understand just what makes hemp so unique. First and foremost, hemp is incredibly environmentally friendly. Instead of depleting the land’s nutrients, like cotton does, hemp actually puts nitrogen back into the soil. It takes less water, but produces more plants per acre (for reference, one acre of hemp produces four times the paper an acre of trees does.) Its low lignin content and natural brightness reduces the need for pulping and bleaching, meaning fewer chemicals are needed all around. Hemp grows in a wide variety of soils and climates, so it can be harvested in all 50 states (though only about half legally). It’s one of the strongest plant fibers and is naturally resistant to weeds and pests. It harvests quickly, growing 10 to 20 feet in just four months. Then you have hemp seeds, an incredible source of protein. More than 25 percent of their calories come from high-quality protein, considerably more than similar foods like chia seeds and flax seeds. Various studies have linked them to a reduction in risk of heart disease and easing of PMS and digestion. As a form of sustainable agriculture, hemp farming holds enormous potential. Hemp is also ideal for the production of ethanol, the cleanest-burning liquid bio-alternative to gasoline. Combustion releases water vapor and CO2, which plants absorb. It’s no wonder hemp is called a smart plant, as it seems almost too good to be true, especially in a world rife with environmental and climate concerns. Considering farmers need the DEA’s approval before sowing seeds, there is still a barrier to entry — for now, anyway. Future-forward applications Restrictions aside, preliminary research has yielded results that only confirm hemp’s potential, and not just as an everyday alternative to cotton and wood, but for high-tech innovations. Ever heard of graphene ? Hemp fiber is also incredibly strong and light, and Dr. David Mitlin, a scientist from Clarkson University in New York, says his team has mimicked the nanomaterial’s amazing qualities using hemp waste. According to Dope Magazine : Dr. Mitlin and his team were able to recycle leftover hemp-based fiber, cook it down and then dissolve it until carbon nanosheets that resembled the structure of graphene were left behind. They proceeded to build these nanosheets into powerful energy-storing supercapacitors with high energy density, thus creating a hemp based “graphene.” The best part? This graphene-like hemp costs only a fraction of the price of traditional graphene: $500 a ton compared to $2,000 per gram. Dr. Mitlin also suspects the hemp-based product could outperform graphene. Related Articles It’s a wiimote swaddled in hemp – what? Retail POS service Green Bits wants to revolutionize the budding marijuana industry Baker raises $1.6 million to help marijuana dispensaries get customers in the door Confident Cannabis is the stock exchange of weed Another amazing product is hempcrete , a concrete made with hemp and lime. For construction, hempcrete is essentially a super-concrete: Its negative CO2 footprint alleviates the greenhouse effect and improves air quality. Its natural insulation keeps homes warm or cool, reducing need for energy. Its resistance to cracks under high pressure makes it well-suited for earthquake-prone areas. It’s even mold, fire and termite proof . Hemp also can be used to create bacteria-fighting fabrics. As early as the 1990s, scientists in China were developing blended hemp fabrics with superior resistance to staph in order to prevent sometimes fatal infections in hospitals. Considering at least two million Americans get staph infections when hospitalized, and 90,000 die, this could be a life-saving innovation here in the U.S. Luckily, Colorado company EnviroTextiles is on it. The company’s hemp-rayon fabric blend has shown in preliminary studies to be 98.5 percent staph resistant and 65.1 percent pneumonia-free. In addition, EnviroTextiles offers hemp fabric resistant to UV and infrared wavelengths, ideal for military purposes. What’s next? These are just a few of the many high-tech and future-forward applications hemp has. As a form of sustainable agriculture, hemp farming holds enormous potential — for the planet, the economy, and even veterans seeking employment . Once the hemp is produced, it may not get you high, but figuratively, the sky’s the limit. After all, how fitting is it for an ancient plant, used both 10,000 years ago and in early America, to continue its legacy in our modern world? Betsy’s hemp-based flag became a symbol for the country, which is now a leader in technological innovation. It would be foolish not to take the bull by the horns and ride it.

Filippone knows hemp textiles and sustainable fabrics. “I’ve got 40 years of experience in natural-fiber textiles,” she says. Hemp fabric has been Filippone’s primary focus for the last 25 years. Today, her EnviroTextiles has a hybrid business model. “A lot of people think we’re an importer,” says Filippone. “We’re a manufacturer who imports and distributes. We supply small startups in the U.S. and name brands in China.” EnviroTextiles’ sister OEM companies have 1,800 employees at factories that make fabric from industrial hemp and offer cut-and-sew and other manufacturing processes. Filippone says her company now supplies 70 different textiles to over 6,000 active customers in 76 different countries. Her daughter, Summer Star Haeske, oversees sales and marketing. The business supplies hemp textiles to companies of all sizes, including ChicoBag, Colorado Yurt Company, and American Down & Feather. “The bigger players in the industry, we’re able to ship direct to any global location,” says Filippone. “We will ship from our factory in China to another factory in China, which is much cheaper for the customer in the long run.” EnviroTextiles supplies smaller companies in the U.S. from its Glenwood Springs facility with sample swatches and low-minimum orders. “Startups can’t begin to start up if we don’t exist,” says Filippone. “I believe these new, young companies are more progressive environmentally.” The company also has four in-house brands: Enviro Fabricators, Prime Hemp Apparel, Beyond the Sun (hospitality and spa), and Enviro Medical Supply. Filippone is also in negotiations to acquire Hempy’s, which makes hats and hemp apparel with contractors in the U.S. She calls it “the missing link” for EnviroTextiles. While growing industrial hemp is now legal in the U.S., it’s going to be hard for Colorado and other locales to catch up with the hemp-textile industry in China. Filippone says that establishing a competitive supply chain in the U.S. would require an investment of at least $300 million. “The economies of scale and return on investment would be light years off,” she notes. She also says farmers need to be educated on how to grow and harvest industry-ready hemp, noting, “Without standards, we can’t develop an industry.” Filippone describes the need for the domestic “cottonization of hemp,” and adds, “That doesn’t mean it’s going to work on cotton equipment in the Carolinas.” She says she expects more of a craft-oriented domestic industry emerging, with micro-mills and specialty blends with alpaca wool and other fibers. Many buyers are taking note of the footprint of synthetic fabrics, cotton, bamboo, and other textiles and exploring how they could incorporate more hemp textiles into their products. “It is unprecedented demand for our products,” she adds. “In my 42 years, I’ve never experienced this. On average, I get five new requests a day.” But the hemp boom hasn’t changed her core business philosophy. “No one works for me,” says Filippone, 60. “They work with me. I don’t ever want to be called boss.” Challenges: Domestic hemp shortages. “There’s no logical reason for this,” says Filippone. “Forty-two years in this and I’m bewildered by lack of supply.” Working with factories in China has its owns set of challenges, she adds. “If a product developer says, ‘Make it as cheaply as possible,’ how is it fair to blame the factory for paying low wages? China is blamed for direction given by foreign product developer,” says Filippone. “How does Trump think we’re going to rebuild manufacturing in the United States without components? Trade has to continue. Trade keeps relationships and human communication alive.” As for sustainability, legal marijuana “has convoluted the issue,” she adds. “They’re all growing indoors, they’re all using energy, they’re all using fertilizers and pesticides.” But federal scrutiny is yet another challenge: An industrial hemp farmer must throw out their sustainably grown harvest if its THC level exceeds 0.3 percent. “They’re not allowed to sell or transport the crop.” Opportunities: Because hemp is inherently antibacterial, hemp is a better material for medical uses, including scrubs, curtains, and sheets, as are diaper companies. “To be antiviral, antifungal, anti-yeast, and anti-staph has caught the attention of healthcare,” says Haeske. Lifestyle manufacturers are experimenting with hemp in composites for skis, skateboards, surfboards, and kayaks. Hemp fabric is also used in heads in drum kits, pop-up Westfalia campers, and “airplanes that are being researched and developed right now,” says Haeske. There’s also an opportunity to get into manufacturing in Colorado. “I would love a few years down the line to have our own in-house cut-and-sew,” says Haeske.

Speaker: Barbara Filippone – Founder and President, Envirotextiles LLC Topic: HEMP TEXTILES: FARM, PROCESSING, FIBER, FABRIC She has worked in the development of Sustainable Hemp textiles and other natural fiber agricultural waste materials from field to fabric for Over 25 Years making her the top expert in USA for all things hemp growing methods , processing, hemp fiber standards, textiles and hemp fashion. Ms. Filippone has both pioneered and lead the way for hemp fabric and textiles development worldwide and hemp fashion with her company EnviroTextiles in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, the largest hemp fabric textile manufacturer for decades. Filippone has trademarked the terms SBP, Sustainable Biodegradable Products, a PIT Product Information Transparency Label. Her interests lie not only in corganic growing practices as well as other sustainably grown agricultural crops that contain untapped fiber resources for the use in both woven and non-woven fabrics and other natural fiber materials for applications in composites. Sustainable: “That which comes from the earth and returns to the earth with little to no need for chemical processing additives” It is an honor to have her as a featured speaker and one of the few original hemp female pioneers & business owner.

The answer, unfortunately, is still (sort of) a mystery. While other countries are enjoying the production of hemp and reaping the rewards, the US ban on growing hemp remains in place. We can import hemp, but not grow it? We import a great deal of hemp directly from our northern neighbors in Canada, and they certainly aren’t complaining. Canada’s hemp industry is booming! Canada, France, China, Russia, and the UK all allow their farming communities to grow industrial hemp, regardless of their individual anti-hemp regulations. China is the top producer of hemp growing approximately 80% of the global hemp volume. In June of 2012, Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) introduced an amendment to the 2012 Farm Bill to repeal the ban on growing industrial hemp in the US. Mr Wyden understands that hemp means jobs for the states. Hopefully our political system will listen to reason, as the public approves.

By Ben Henderson Glenwood Springs, CO November 1st, 2013 Harvesting Hemp in Colorado – The Birth of a New Industry? Industrial hemp has great potential, but will require new processing and manufacturing facilities The first hemp harvest is underway in Colorado. At only 55 acres, this harvest is more symbolic than a true reflection of the supply required for a potential new industry. The big question is now that hemp is being grown in the state, what can our farmers expect to do with their crops? Who will purchase them? Who will process them? What applications will hemp be readily available for? If industrial hemp is going to be successful in the US, we should first pause and look towards the mistakes the Canadians have made the 17 years since they introduced hemp. While Canada is successfully growing hemp, the only viable Canadian product is seed oil, which wastes 80% of hemp’s raw materials. After nearly two decades of hemp farming and tens of millions invested in the industry, why aren’t we seeing more products from Canada’s hemp harvests? When will we see this plant to produce its 25,000 known uses? What exactly is holding us back? Put simply, we lack the manufacturing infrastructure and the knowledge to transfer industrial hemp into suitable interim materials for product developers at industrial scale. After nearly a century-long ban, even our ability to produce rough hemp for rope and cordage is essentially lost. However, advances in modern day farming and processing can now be applied to hemp production for the first time, providing an even greater natural resource than was previously available in the early 20th century. New machinery, harvesting processes, grading requirements, and other systems will need to be advised and uniformly followed so that hemp can be introduced into the modern marketplace. While limited hemp production is seen as the single factor holding back the industry, a grading system for hemp-based materials for commercial applications has never been developed but will be available soon. Without a verifiable grading system that includes stringent testing comparable to existing building materials testing, hemp will have a very limited adoption rate within industries where it should thrive. For example, sustainable building materials provide a broad and encompassing use for industrial hemp, but are very much a niche industry at the moment. EnviroTextiles, a pioneering hemp company in Colorado, is completing a system for grading hemp for industrial applications. Properly grading and testing hemp products is essential for commercial adoption to meet existing building codes requirements. In addition to grading, the exact machinery to produce these new materials does not yet exist for large scale commercial applications. Modifications will need to be made to existing machinery to alter the raw hurd to manufacturer’s specifications. EnviroTextile’s technicians are finalizing a suite of custom machinery suited to process hemp materials accordingly to the newly designed grading specifications. A primary base material for building applications is hemp hurd. The hurd is the inner core of the stalk, a woody material that should be free of the outer skin (bast fiber) before it is ready for processing. The hurd is typically broken down into small chunks for animal bedding as this process is cheap and requires no special equipment. This process is very rough, similar to a pulse blast with a food processor, producing odd sizes and shapes of hurd that often still contains some or all of the fiber from the skin in the final product. Hurd can potentially be used for thousands of products once it is available to manufacturers as a standardized material for their applications. Manufacturers will then be able to purchase the grade required for their product development, from larger hurd for items such as pressed wall board, to extremely fine grains for plastic composites. Barbara Filippone, founder of EnviroTextiles, is currently working with Canada to develop a grading system consisting of several grades grades of value added raw materials suited for multiple applications. If hemp is to gain status as a commodity level base material, the hemp industry must overcome the processing and manufacturing requirements immediately. Processing machinery, grading systems, and infrastrucutre must all be put into place in order to provide proof of concept that hemp can be a profitable crop which serves stable, significant markets. Only then will farmers recognize the incentive to plant industrial hemp so that it can be properly introduced into the marketplace and compete with existing products and base materials. A note about hemp textiles and fabrics – Utilizing hemp fiber for fabrics has been done for thousands of years, and many hemp enthusiasts are excited to start production in the US. Unfortunately, depending on the species of hemp planted, only 15% (maximum) of the plant is usable fiber. After processing, only 5-7% of the fiber remaining will result in finished fabric. The process from field to fabric includes harvesting, retting, inspection, degumming, spinning into yarn, the entire process of weaving, dye and finishing, and then final inspection. The viability of hemp for fabric and textile production in the US is not going to be an option for the foreseeable future. China and Eastern Europe will remain the two sources for hemp textiles.