MJ had the great pleasure of chatting with MoonCloth Designs CEO, Sarah Harf to discover new ways we can make more sustainable decisions when designing our home and workspace. A ‘superhero’ of a plant that has been in the shadows for decades, hemp can be used for many many different things from textiles to plastics to biofuel. Why has such a resource been given the scarlett letter, when it can do so much good? We’re grateful to Sarah for answering some of our burning questions about hemp.

TELL US WHAT STEPS MOONCLOTH IS TAKING TO HELP PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE LIVING?

We are currently focused on hospitality and supporting interior designers to design more sustainable environments. We use industrialize hemp to create environmentally conscious spaces. Hemp is one of the most environmentally friendly fabrics currently available. It requires half as much land and half as much water to grow compared to other fiber plants. Hemp textiles are naturally hypoallergenic and have anti-bacterial properties that fight against mold and bacteria from forming. We are going beyond just promoting sustainability and actually giving people the tools to create more environmentally conscious spaces. Our hemp textiles can create any type of product that you would find in a space. Decor pillows, kimonos, hemp textiles for furniture upholstery, couch cushions and much more.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START MOONCLOTH?

I was inspired to create more healthy and sustainable spaces that do not create more harm to our earth. We spend so much of our time indoors in spaces. There are so many toxic chemicals that go into products we use every day in our home and public spaces. After learning all about industrial hemp and it’s benefits I feel we have an opportunity to create all our interior products and functional design elements to be more healthy and sustainable.

My initial vision was to start designing products that people could use in their homes, but then my team and I felt we would have a bigger impact and affect more people if we start with hospitality and commercial spaces. We are really excited to be working with some incredible hotel clients and supporting them to create sustainable designs that feature hemp in a modern and sexy way.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF HEMP OVER COTTON & OTHER FABRICS; AND DO YOU THINK HEMP WILL EVER BE ABLE TO BE A BIGGER PART OF CLOTHING AND TEXTILES?

Hemp was used for thousands of years to produce durable textiles in massive quantities. However, the broadspectrum prohibition of cannabis made industrial hemp illegal. In the process, the hemp textile industry was destroyed. Cotton uses 16% of the world’s pesticides. Hemp uses 50% less water compared to cotton. Hemp fabric will not wear out and will actually soften over time. Unlike cotton, hemp holds its strength when wet, and it also possesses antibacterial properties.

WHAT MAKES HEMP SUCH EXPENSIVE MATERIAL TO PURCHASE RIGHT NOW?

Hemp textiles are less in demand which makes it more expensive. However, that can quickly change and when people start to learn and use more hemp in their every day lives. Polyester is a synthetic fiber which is the most used fiber for textiles. Polyester is the worst fabric you can buy. It is made from synthetic polymers that are made from esters of dihydric alcohol and terephthalic acid. Acrylic fabrics are polyacrylonitriles and can cause cancer and other terrible diseases if our bodies are exposed to these fabrics.

Our purchasing decisions have a lot of power and it’s really up to us to help make that shift to being more sustainably focused and buy better textiles that are good to our bodies and the world.

DO YOU HAVE ANY SIMPLE PROACTIVE IMPROVEMENTS WE CAN MAKE TO LIVE A MORE SUSTAINABLE HEALTHY LIFESTYLE?

Be curious and aware of the things you buy. Ask questions, learn about how it was made. Your choices and what you buy does matter!

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IN THE FUTURE WITH HEMP AND SUSTAINABLE LIVING; AND WHAT CAN WE LOOK FORWARD TO FROM MOONCLOTH?

My dream is to design a boutique hotel property or two ;) that promote wellness and sustainability in a fully functional and beautiful way. I also want our hotel to host design thinking dinners and conversations around the future of sustainable while also using the hotel spaces to be our showrooms where guest can use and test the products we have designed during their stay.

To read MoonCloth's full article click here for MJ’s Digital Issue II

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