N.C. PSI Platform Director for Extension Outreach and Engagement David Suchoff highlights the real economic promise that fiber hemp poses for North Carolina's farmers and textile industry.
For North Carolina farmers, fiber hemp is a great fit. The crop can be highly mechanized using planting, cutting, and baling equipment many farmers already own.
As NC State Extension’s alternative crops specialist, I’m often asked if North Carolina will ever find the next tobacco. I tell them no; no crop will likely match tobacco’s centuries-long economic and historical impact on our state.
But for the past eight years, I’ve worked with fiber hemp, and it offers real economic promise for our farmers and textile industry. Market researchers forecast consumer demand for sustainable fashion to drive steady to rapid growth in the sector in coming years.
“The crop grows well here, and North Carolina has key processing and manufacturing infrastructure needed to turn fiber hemp into durable, high-quality yarn and fabric for clothing and a wide range of home goods.”
Hemp produces a strong, durable fiber, and when spun with cotton, it breathes like linen and offers a viable alternative to petroleum-based synthetics.
Our state is uniquely positioned to tap into that demand.
The crop grows well here, and North Carolina has key processing and manufacturing infrastructure needed to turn fiber hemp into durable, high-quality yarn and fabric for clothing and a wide range of home goods – from bed sheets and blankets to upholstery and rugs.
For our farmers, fiber hemp is a great fit. The crop can be highly mechanized using planting, cutting, and baling equipment many farmers already own. In our trials across North Carolina, we’ve found that it can outcompete many of our aggressive weeds and works as an excellent rotational crop alongside corn and soybeans. We’ve also found that we can drastically reduce fertilizer and herbicide needs by integrating cover crops and no-till practices.
Though not entirely drought-resistant, hemp is remarkably drought-tolerant. This season put that claim to the test. While several key N.C. crops faltered in our historic drought and record heat, the fiber hemp in our test plots at agricultural research stations in Goldsboro and Kinston grew tall, robust, and surprisingly green.
“An easy-to-grow crop is only half the battle. Without market demand or infrastructure to move a crop from field to market, it has no place on the farm.”
However, an easy-to-grow crop is only half the battle. Without market demand or infrastructure to move a crop from field to market, it has no place on the farm.
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When it comes to getting hemp to market, North Carolina possesses a key advantage: We are not just an agricultural state; we are a textile powerhouse. NC State’s Wilson College of Textiles is the only textile college in North America, and although global outsourcing reduced the domestic industry, our state remains home to 25% of the nation’s textile workforce and 20% of its textile exports.
“Let’s roll up our sleeves and build this industry together.”
We are the only state in the country equipped with facilities not only to separate hemp’s raw outer fiber, or bast, from its inner woody hurd but also to refine that fiber so it can be spun on conventional equipment.
The infrastructure for a localized field-to-fabric economy exists. But turning this potential into a thriving industry requires connecting the supply chain so farmers produce exactly what mills and brands require:• Farmers must approach the crop with cautious optimism. A U.S. Department of Agriculture hemp license is required before any hemp can be planted. Master the agronomics with help from Cooperative Extension and secure a written contract before planting.• Manufacturers should source local raw materials to mitigate global supply chain shocks. Partner with local processors to develop sustainable, blended natural fibers.• Stakeholders must share development risks. We must support initiatives like the NSF Textile Innovation Engine of North Carolina to standardize grading and scale regional processing infrastructure.
Working collaboratively across agriculture, research, processing, and manufacturing, we can construct a reliable, connected system. Let’s roll up our sleeves and build this industry together.
About the authorDavid Suchoff holds several titles at North Carolina State University. He’s an associate professor of crop and soil sciences, an alternative crops specialist with NC State Extension, and the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative’s platform director for extension outreach and engagement.
The infrastructure for a localized field-to-fabric economy exists. But turning this potential into a thriving industry requires connecting the supply chain so farmers produce exactly what mills and brands require:• Farmers must approach the crop with cautious optimism. A U.S. Department of Agriculture hemp license is required before any hemp can be planted. Master the agronomics with help from Cooperative Extension and secure a written contract before planting.• Manufacturers should source local raw materials to mitigate global supply chain shocks. Partner with local processors to develop sustainable, blended natural fibers.• Stakeholders must share development risks. We must support initiatives like the NSF Textile Innovation Engine of North Carolina to standardize grading and scale regional processing infrastructure.
Working collaboratively across agriculture, research, processing, and manufacturing, we can construct a reliable, connected system. Let’s roll up our sleeves and build this industry together.
About the authorDavid Suchoff holds several titles at North Carolina State University. He’s an associate professor of crop and soil sciences, an alternative crops specialist with NC State Extension, and the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative’s platform director for extension outreach and engagement.