During the British period, the women of Famagusta kept their selves busy by knitting sweaters. They saw the British soldiers from Ireland wearing heavy knitted sweaters made of rough wool and decided that these were ideal for the Cyprus winter. Famagusta was surrounded by hemp plants which were growing in the swamps. Out of these plants came hemp fabric, a type of textile that is made using fibres from the stalks of the also known as Cannabis sativa plant. This plant has been recognized as a source of extraordinarily tensile and durable textile fibres for millennia. Having the source available, and no real cost of production, the women of Famagusta knitted for their families but also sold their products contributing thus to the family income.
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