The Afends Hemp Revolution Jacket

Words by Ali Klinkenberg

The Afends hemp revolution is gaining momentum, and next stop: A sustainable place in the stars! The savvy gents from Byron Bay have moved from trunks into gear for the winter march. The Hemp Revolution Jacket dips it’s waxy toe into the most iconic of British styles, the Parka.

There’s certain things that just refuse to leave the canon of fashion. And, thankfully, the Parka’s one. The Parka was birthed by the US Military in the 50’s, before being adopted with aplomb by the British Mod movement in the early 60’s. Combined with Vespa scooters, Union Jack regalia, and The Who turned up to eleven, the Parka became a symbol of youthful rebellion! How fitting then, that the Parka’s been re-appropriated to a new cause by Afends. This time, the beef’s not with the rockers; it’s with the greedy body corporates who’re cooking our beloved mother earth!

The Hemp Rev jacket’s outer (the bit that keeps the wind/rain/ale/hail off) is made entirely of hemp. Hemp’s the darlingly versatile substance that’s extracted from the stem of the eternally-fun cannabis plant. And, in terms of making coats, it’s a perfect outer shell. Hell, if Christopher Columbus can sail to America with sails made of the stuff then it’s more than adequate as your winter overcoat! And, to perfectly compliment the faded black outer, the inner layer’s made from a soft brushed flannel. And what is that, tartan? A sprinkle of a Burberry inner, crossed with classic Ben Sherman cut and with a sustainable tilt. This jacket’s everything that’s right with the world.

It’s truly one of those beautiful garments that won’t have crusty locals in deep south locales hurling rocks in your direction in the car park, but also won’t see you out of sorts bar-hopping with the rest of the Mods. Hell, you could even wear it with a suit if the occasion calls. And, here’s a tip: Courting the opposite sex’s all about angles. “Hey that’s a nice jacket,” she says whilst intrinsically rubbing the hem, “what is that, polyester?” “No ma’am, that’s hemp,” you reply, before launching into a carefully rehearsed monologue about the sustainable, and fun-filled qualities of the useful, resilient material. “Did you know that the very first pair of Levi jeans were made from hemp…” That sir, is one hell of an angle. God bless the military, and god bless Afends. They sure have birthed some fine stories, fits and fabrics in years gone by.

Get at it here.