I first learned of United by Blue through Christina who wore this same SoftHemp Smocked Chambray Dress (sold out). I’ve never heard of United by Blue before (I mean there are soooo many ethical/sustainable brands these days right?), but I was intrigued by their use of hemp in their clothing. Hemp (so commonly associated with marijuana but not the same thing), hasn’t quite taken off as a sustainable fiber and not a lot of brands work with it. But I wanted to see what it was like, especially UbB’s soft hemp version.
I’m surprised more brands don’t use hemp, considering hemp doesn’t require as much water and pesticides as cotton. It grows faster than cotton and produces more fiber per square footage of land (sources here and here). TBH I’ve always thought of hemp as a cloth for hippie-dippie kinds of clothing. So I was excited to see hemp used in a fairly basic dress by a certified B-corp brand that also works to do social good (for every purchase they pay for the removal of one pound of trash from the ocean). UbB also lists out all the ethical manufacturers they work with here.
This particular SoftHemp fabric is a mix of hemp and organic cotton, which I think makes the fabric super sturdy but not stiff or scratchy. The very few items of hemp I’ve ever come across were always very rough and stiff, so I’m glad to see that UbB’s particular fabric is not. And not only is it super soft, but it’s also quite a bit thicker and sturdier than 100% cotton. It feels like flannel, but is thicker and more substantial. I’m really impressed with their material and am a huge fan of their SoftHemp fabric.
Overall I really like UbB’s ethical manufacturing, environmental work, and use of novel fabrics. However I wasn’t a huge fan of the styling of the dress (I’m wearing a small here and I would say they run TTS). This is my own personal preference and I should have realised smocking across the chest is just not for me (I first made this mistake with the Nap Dress from Hill House Home). So I ended up selling this dress on eBay (quite quickly I must say), but I’m definitely going to be a repeat shopper at United by Blue!