Jungmaven focuses on hemp-forward, casual apparel, and has been at it since the early 90s. The founder is a founding member of the industry association that helped make growing hemp legal again in the US. They are now working on helping to increase production and build the infrastructure to knit hemp in the US.
When I saw this mission and how long they’ve had to perfect the hemp tee, I grabbed their Baja Tee to try during a sale about a month ago.
Material
The fabric is a mid-weight 7 oz. 55% hemp/45% organic cotton blend. This is the fabric they started with and I think it shows. The weight (they compare an average cotton tee at 5 oz.) makes it substantial and gives it a natural drape and handfeel.
Being a majority hemp blend, the fabric does have a slightly rough look to it, making it casual without looking worn out or sloppy. Hemp also gets softer with each wash while still remaining strong, making it a great choice for a casual shirt.
Performance
This t-shirt performs much better than its weight. Typically a 7 oz. fabric would be too warm for the summer, but with the breathability and moisture wicking of the hemp, this shirt remained comfortable, even on days into the 90s °F. The heavier weight also makes it nice when moving in and out of air conditioning, as it seems to keep that “AC chill” away.
As discussed by Jungmaven, hemp also has antibacterial properties and sheds dirt more readily than other materials. I found these claims to be true, as I got at least 3-5 wears out of the shirt between each wash.
The only area where this shirt is lacking is in its’ drying ability. When it gets wet, it takes a long while to dry. While the breathability keeps me dry while wearing it, when I got stuck in a rainstorm, I had to change shirts when I got home.
Fit and Style
This shirt has a great fit that I think is coming back in style, it is a little boxy and shorter than most of my XL tees, but in a good way.
The fit combined with the fabric makes puts it solidly in the casual category. The natural drape and classic look keep it looking good (and much better than a workout tee for those work from home video calls).
Overall
The Baja Tee has been my most worn t-shirt since I got it at the beginning of August. The weight and style make it perfect for working from home and around town. I think it will continue to get a lot of wear into the Fall, due to the great weight.
Highly recommended, and if you like something a lighter, there also is a 5 oz. fabric in the same blend.
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