Is there an odorless alternative to hemp cord?

Question

I really like using hemp twine to make bracelets but I hate the smell. Is there a an odorless twine that is similar in look and feel?

Answer 1

Alternate fiber

There are endless fibers available. Since you're using hemp, I'll assume you want to stick with a natural fiber rather than man-made (correct me if that's a bad assumption).

Since you want to use it for bracelets, I'd rule out fibers that are rough on your skin. The best alternative fiber may be jute. It is generally similar to hemp but softer. It isn't quite as strong (hemp is probably the strongest natural fiber), but it's close, and strength isn't that critical for bracelets. One thing to be aware of is that if the bracelet gets wet, jute is more likely to shrink than hemp.

Getting rid of the hemp odor

If you are happy with hemp except for the smell, you can remove the odor from hemp. How to Get Smell Out of Hemp String describes a number of ways to do it, which I'll summarize here:

• Sunlight and grass. Unwind the hemp string and place the unraveled string in direct sunlight on your lawn for 6-8 hours. The chlorophyll in the grass helps to neutralize the smell. The sunlight dries out the cord and the UV helps break down the odor.

• Vinegar. Mix vinegar with an equal amount of water and spray the cord with it. The article recommends drying it in sunlight, which would work similar to above (and the vinegar smell will disappear when the cord dries out).

• Mask the odor with fabric softener. Unravel the amount of hemp string that you would like to use and place it in the dryer along with 2-3 sheets of fabric softener. Run for 10-15 minutes on high before removing the freshened twine to place in use.

• Absorb the odor. The article describes putting the cord in a closed paper bag with an odor absorber and letting it sit for a period while the odor is absorbed. It recommends 2 days with half a cup of baking soda, or 5-7 days with activated charcoal.

I've never tried deodorizing hemp cord, so can't vouch for how well the methods work, or whether the odor removal is permanent. But these solutions are cheap and easy to try. If you really like hemp, it's probably worth trying a method or two before switching to another fiber. I'd probably try the vinegar and sunlight method first.