It’s time to show moral fibre in choice of shirts, says Edinburgh graduate

When it comes to sustainable fashion, Edinburgh University graduate Charlie Thomas has been there, done that and bought the hemp T-shirt.

Shirtmaker Charlie Thomas, founder of Babble & Hemp

He is now heading back to the Capital in his mission to persuade shoppers and retailers to drop cotton as their natural fabric of choice.

With the recent launch of his Babble & Hemp shirt collection, he hopes to showcase hemp as a beautifully soft, elegant alternative that can be produced using one fifth of the water required for cotton production – and without the pesticides.

Charlie was in India two years ago, on the university’s inaugural sustainable fashion trip, when he was introduced to different textiles.

“I was amazed that I knew so little about hemp and its environmental benefits. It struck me then that more people should be aware of it,” he says.

A chat with the founder of Hemp Eyewear in Leith opened Charlie’s eyes to its full potential as an environment-friendly fashion material.

And so, from his New Town flat, as he completed his final year exams, he set about combining his love of shirts with his newfound passion for fine-milled hemp.

“Given that one hemp shirt uses 500 litres of water to make, in comparison to the 2,500 litres a cotton shirt needs, my mission is simple – to make hemp the most used fabric on the planet, starting with men’s shirts,” adds Charlie, who will be returning to his alma mater later this year to address business students.

He believes the launch of Babble & Hemp five weeks ago has been very timely, as more people opt for online shopping and home-working sees a rejection of stiff-collared shirts in favour of a more casual business look.

Shirts, priced £69, are available in four sizes (regular and slim fit) and a range of colours. www.babbleandhemp.com

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