Material / 01

The hemp study.

A plant fiber, resolved into a close, structured rib for the first layer.

Explore the fabric
PlantFiberStructureMovementRecoveryRib
Close view of the men’s hemp-rib Boxer Brief and waistband.
The material

Hemp is the foundation.
The rib is the result.

We chose hemp for its natural character, then blended it for the demands of underwear: structure, movement and recovery. The result is a ribbed fabric with presence at first touch, designed to soften with wear.

The journey

From stalk to first layer.

Hemp textile fiber begins in the stalk. From there, the material is separated, prepared, blended and knitted into the rib that defines OLIVER KRAUS.

The finished hemp-rib pieces worn — Triangle Bra and Rib Thong, back three-quarter view

  1. Plant

    For textile use, hemp is cultivated for the fiber held within its stalk.

  2. Stalk

    The textile fiber sits in the stalk’s outer layer, around a woody core.

  3. Fiber

    The stalk fiber is separated and prepared into a bast fiber with a linen-like character.

  4. Blend

    Spun and blended: 52% hemp, 43% recycled polyester and 5% spandex.

  5. Rib

    Knitted into a close vertical rib with structure and recovery.

  6. Body

    Cut and finished into the OLIVER KRAUS first layer.

A simplified material journey; exact processing varies by supplier and production method.

Composition

Why this blend.

Underwear asks a fabric to stretch, recover and hold its line. The blend keeps hemp at the center while giving the rib the movement the garment needs.

Cultivation

Before it becomes fabric.

9–15 t

CO₂ sequestered per hectare during hemp cultivation

≈5 months

Typical growing period referenced by the European Commission

≈3 weeks

Time after germination for dense ground coverage

Fast growth and shading

Hemp can help suppress weeds and interrupt disease cycles when used in crop rotation.

Low or no pesticide use

The European Commission states that insecticides, herbicides and fungicides may be avoided in most cases.

A linen-like fiber

The European Commission describes hemp textile fiber as very similar to linen.

These figures describe hemp cultivation generally and do not represent a product-level life-cycle assessment of OLIVER KRAUS garments.

Source: European Commission, “Hemp — Agriculture and Rural Development.”

A material returning.

EU hemp production data, 2015–2022
Area, fiber hemp+60%
201520,540 ha
202233,020 ha
Production+84.3%
201597,130 tonnes
2022179,020 tonnes

Source: European Commission, “Hemp — Agriculture and Rural Development.”

Structured at first touch.
Softer with wear.

The rib gives the fabric definition. Hemp provides its natural character. Recycled polyester supports resilience, while spandex lets the knit move and return. Together, they create a close first layer that holds its line without feeling rigid.

OLIVER KRAUS campaign — the hemp-rib ruffle set worn, front view.
Close view of the women’s hemp-rib knit and hemp-flower emblem.
Fiber Form
  • Defined rib
  • Close stretch
  • Designed to soften

One knit. Six pieces.

Two for men. Four for women. Built from the same hemp-rib foundation.

Man standing in the Minimal Coverage Brief, front view. Minimal Coverage Brief Men Boxer Brief in white hemp rib, worn, standing front view. Boxer Brief Men Triangle Hemp Rib Bra worn with the matching thong, front. Triangle Hemp Rib Bra Women Hemp Rib Thong in white, front view, with a clean flat waistband. Hemp Rib Thong Women Ruffle Rib Hemp Bra in white, front view, ruffled neckline. Ruffle Rib Hemp Bra Women Ruffle Rib Hemp Thong in white, front view, ruffled edge. Ruffle Rib Hemp Thong Women

The first layer, in hemp.

Men

Two proportions in the OLIVER KRAUS hemp-rib knit.

Shop Men

Women

Rib and Ruffle, expressed across four pieces.

Shop Women