What's the difference? 
Flax and hemp linen both come from bast fibre. They are so similar in terms of appearance, breathability, hand-feel and antibacterial properties, that it takes a microscope to tell them apart (you are looking for which way the fibres twist - flax clockwise, hemp anti-clockwise). 

Hemp is 8x more durable and gets softer with each wash
Both are hollow fibres which makes them great insulators and easily able to adapt to all climates. Where hemp excels however, is in its durability being eight times stronger than flax linen. This is because hemp plants grow much taller than flax, meaning less weak points along the thread when it is woven. Hemp therefore withstands more wear and washing without becoming damaged and worn, giving it the longest shelf-life of any natural fibre whilst still being 100% biodegradable. 

Hemp can be grown pesticide-free 
Not only is hemp a taller growing plant, it produces 600% more fibre than flax on the same amount of land and unlike flax it is resistant to both weeds and insects so no pesticides are needed in its cultivation. 

Hemp is a better choice for sustainability 
Hemp also enriches the soils as it grows and attracts biodiversity (bees love it) whereas flax depletes the soil and requires crop rotation to maintain soil richness. While both linens are excellent for bedding (and clothing), hemp is the far more UV, mould and mildew resistant making it ultimately the more environmentally-friendly choice. 

Get the sleep of your dreams 
GOOD is a sustainable clothing and homewares label that champions natural hemp fabrics. Our collections are Australian designed and made to order, using zero waste techniques and certified OEKO-TEX dyes with 100% natural hemp fabrics.