230″I think that people are more open to wearing something to try it out rather than eating it or applying it to their skin. So, in more ways then one, fabric made from hemp is our focus,” says Prashansa Shahani Gupta, the Co-founder of Hemp Republic. She along with Co-founders Varun Gupta, who was the first one to stumble upon the scope of hemp, and Kartik Aysola researched for three-and-a-half years before quitting their jobs and putting all their faith in hemp to start Hemp Republic. There are various variants with regards to compositions that they offer when it comes to fabric, like hemp plus cotton or linen, and the qualities of the hemp fabric are that it is soft and durable. 

Hemp Republic has certifications from Global Organic Textile Standard, Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production and more

So, how would it fare when compared to, say, khadi, which our central government is promoting extensively? Kartik says, “Khadi is ultimately made out of cotton which requires lots of water and pesticides to grow, as opposed to hemp, which needs very little water and requires no pesticide. People will soon figure out that hemp outranks cotton in many ways, and then, the dichotomy might change.” Adding to the conversation, Varun says, “Hemp is a conscious buy and for the segment of people who care about the environmental impact of their purchases, this is a great option.”

Count on it: Fabric that is sold by Hemp Republic | (Pic: Hemp Republic)

This B2B company currently has clients from Pune and New Delhi and are sourcing their fabrics to a few designers as well. Talking about the future of hemp, Kartik aptly concludes by saying, “Hemp is a qualitative alternative to almost any product that is oil-based or any fabric and we want to ensure that people realise this.”   

For more on them, click on hemprepublic.in