In 2020, a Montana hemp crop was harvested by two local companies aiming to create U.S.-made clothing. This endeavor marked a shift from the traditional practice of sourcing hemp materials overseas. The successful launch of the shirt last year demonstrated the potential of a domestic hemp supply chain. This achievement underscores the growing interest in sustainable textiles.
Hemp, known for its versatility in fabrics, insulation, and seed oils, faced legal barriers in the U.S. until 2018 when Congress lifted restrictions. As a result, a Fort Benton processor and a Great Falls apparel company collaborated to produce American-made hemp shirts. This ambitious project required assembling a new supply chain to make it feasible.
“Honestly, it was just: Can we do it? Because it hadn’t happened in, arguably, 100 years,” Morgan Tweet, CEO of IND Hemp, told Montana Free Press. “No one had grown [hemp] fiber and been able to process it to a quality that they were able to spin with in the U.S.”
Formed in 2018, IND Hemp began with hemp seed oils from regional crops. By 2022, the company expanded to hemp-based textiles, known for durability. Around this time, Smith and Rogue, an offshoot of the North 40 Outfitters chain, approached IND for a domestic clothing line. Brandon Kishpaugh, their apparel merchandiser, saw a demand for durable, sustainably sourced fiber within U.S. borders.
FROM PROHIBITION TO PRODUCTION
Hemp has deep roots in American history, once grown by figures like Thomas Jefferson. Despite its low psychoactive levels, it was banned alongside marijuana in 1937. This impeded hemp’s growth until the 2018 farm bill, which legalized industrial hemp. By 2024, Montana had cultivated 2,400 acres, although it lagged behind states like Texas and California.
“Over time, that infrastructure has disappeared,” said Sofi Thanhauser, author of “Worn: A People’s History of Clothing.” This absence of machinery and expertise complicates domestic hemp textile production. Most of IND’s fiber-processing equipment was sourced from Europe, where a stable hemp industry exists.
THE SHIRT
Smith and Rogue’s American-made clothing test included 239 men’s work shirts. The Benton work shirt, priced at $150, combined Montana’s hemp with Arizona cotton. The fabric went through multiple processes across different states before reaching New York for final assembly. Despite challenges like lost shipments, the shirt launched online and in retail stores.
“You can’t just put it on the rack,” Kishpaugh noted, emphasizing the importance of educating consumers about the shirt’s origins. The high price reflects the costs of domestic manufacturing, attracting consumers interested in U.S.-made products.
LINKS IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN
The Benton shirt’s hemp was grown in 2020 on a farm near Fort Benton. The endeavor highlighted the challenges of ensuring high-quality fiber, influenced by factors like hemp variety and growing conditions. IND’s processing plant refined these fibers for textile use.
Future plans include scaling up production and diversifying clothing options, combining U.S. hemp with overseas manufacturing. “Will there always be these opportunities to promote a full domestic supply chain? Absolutely,” Tweet said, acknowledging the balance between cost, scale, and sustainability.
—
Read More Montana News
