Domestically grown hemp (cannabis) is not a viable alternative to the imported fibers used to make uniforms for the Russian armed forces, the head of the state concern that makes Russia's uniforms said.
“In my opinion, uniforms made of hemp are unsuitable for our climate," Vladimir Kadenko, the general director of the 43rd central experimental sewing plant, said in an interview with RIA Novosti. "These clothes are more suitable for a beach resort," not for keeping a Russian soldier warm in winter, he said.
“As for linen, we use this fabric to make tents, not uniforms,” because linen is most suitable for the hot and humid weather of the tropics, not the extreme cold of Russia.
Hemp has long been in use in Russia, to make rope and rough sackcloth. “It looks rough, like thin sackcloth, and products from it don't hold up to scrutiny,” he said.