Fabrics

Himalayan Nettle

Grows amazingly quickly, reaching heights of tree metres in a year. It has been harvest for centuries in Nepal as a source of fibre, food and for the plant’s many medical properties.

Grown and harvested in the Nepalese foothills. This herb grows wild so is naturally organic, it is collected and harvested around October where the stalks are used for fibres and the leaves are eaten in soups and stews.

It is the longest of the natural fibres and is strong, fine and elastic. Nettle fibre is used in our laptop cases, belts and guitar straps. The finish is usually a bit rougher and natural looking than other fibres since the fibres are thicker so we use this when we need a strong fabric but doesn’t need to be soft such as belts and laptop cases.

nettle growing

Lokta Paper

We are trialling using Lokta paper on new products as packaging material, from 2020 we have replaced all of our packaging material to Lokta paper which makes us a completely plastic free company for all new products.

Lokta paper is a wildcrafted artisan paper that’s native to Nepal made of a shrub called daphne that grows at altitudes between 2000-3000m.

The “Lokta Bush” has characteristics of re-growing again and again after pruning and is known as one of the most eco friendly papers. The papers are made using the traditional Nepalese floating mould method in which the pulp is poured onto the paper frame. The paper is sun dried on the frame. By doing this helps us not use plastic but also provides investment in these ancient crafts.

Lokta Paper

Pineatex

We are trialling using Lokta paper on new products as packaging material, from 2020 we have replaced all of our packaging material to Lokta paper which makes us a completely plastic free company for all new products.

Lokta paper is a wildcrafted artisan paper that’s native to Nepal made of a shrub called daphne that grows at altitudes between 2000-3000m.

The “Lokta Bush” has characteristics of re-growing again and again after pruning and is known as one of the most eco friendly papers. The papers are made using the traditional Nepalese floating mould method in which the pulp is poured onto the paper frame. The paper is sun dried on the frame. By doing this helps us not use plastic but also provides investment in these ancient crafts.

Piñatex

Corozo Buttons

We use corozo buttons on our products which is a fantastic alternative for plastic. It comes from the shell of the nut of the Phytelephas tree and is also known as vegetable ivory. They are stronger and last longer than plastic buttons.

Corozo

Organic Cotton

Our organic cotton is grown up in the Mugu region of the Nepalese Himalayas. Its production sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people by using natural processes.

Alongside our manufacturer we work with the farmers to ensure growers get good yields and help with equipment which provides a valuable source of income to these remote mountain communities. Importantly organic cotton farming does not allow the use of toxic chemicals or GMOs which would pollute the land.

Our method combines tradition, innovation and science to not damage the environment and promote a good quality of life for all involved. Cotton uses up 2.5% of the world’s cultivated land but uses 10-16% of the world’s pesticides so it is important to use organic cotton to decrease our reliance on damaging chemicals.

cotton growing

Hemp

Agricultural hemp is not currently permitted in Nepal so all of our Nepalese hemp is harvested from the wild growing hemp that is native to the Nepalese Himalayas, mostly from Bajura but also from other places in Nepal.

This makes it naturally organic and uses no additional water which makes it extremely sustainable as it is very renewable and harvesting does not damage the environment. It is for this reason we try to use as much hemp as possible in our products as well as its properties of strength and comfort.

We use mostly Nepalese hemp but sometimes we cannot achieve the desired fabric quality for the finish we would like due to not having the weaving technology locally so some of our fabric is from China but we are dedicated to improving the quality we can make locally. We also support legalising hemp cultivation in Nepal as it would provide a lot of income to the mountain communities and is more efficient than other fibre plantations.

Proudly made in the Nepalese Himalayas

Himal was started in 2017 to sell clothing and accesories made up in the Nepalese Himalayas from the finest plant fibres using traditional
methods of harvesting spinning and weaving.

This way we are helping to keep this ancient art & craft alive in a commercialised and mass
produced world.

We make clothing which has a natural feel which reflects the origins. We create using only high quality, natural materials with a focus on sustainable production practices. We combine ancient knowledge and practices with new, innovative technologies to produce quality products that will last a lifetime.

 

Our focus is on hemp and nettle which grow abundantly in the wild of the mountains as well as using organic cottons.