Finnish entrepreneur discovers hemp bedsheets were actually linen

A Finnish entrepreneur who believed she had been selling hemp bedsheets and towels for years has discovered that nearly half of her products were made from linen instead, according to a report by Yle.

Marja-Maija Valtonen, owner of the Hempea brand, said she was shocked when laboratory tests revealed that two of her fabric suppliers—one in Romania and another in Poland—had provided linen rather than the hemp she had ordered.

Valtonen first grew suspicious after noticing a linen waffle fabric at a trade fair that looked identical to her hemp fabric. Testing confirmed that both a waffle fabric and another material she had purchased were linen. She had used these fabrics to produce sheets and towels, meaning roughly half of Hempea’s products were mislabeled.

Both suppliers denied responsibility. The Romanian company, Natural Fibers SRL, suggested possible mixing of fibers during production, though documents show Valtonen had ordered 100% hemp. The Polish supplier, Świat Lnu, conducted its own tests and claimed all fabrics were hemp, but declined to share details, citing business confidentiality.

The fabrics were tested at the University of Helsinki by researcher Jenni Suomela, who specializes in bast fibers like hemp and flax. She confirmed the results and noted that such materials are nearly indistinguishable without specialized testing.

Kirsti Cura, a leading expert at LAB University of Applied Sciences, said such mislabeling is common in the textile industry, where oversight is minimal and business relies heavily on trust.

Hemp is 20–50% more expensive than linen, which Valtonen and Cura suggest may explain the deception. Valtonen said the incident has shattered her trust in the industry and undermined her brand, which is built on hemp’s ecological benefits.