Hemp products may for some still carry the stigma attached to hemp's distant, smokeable, cousin (cannabis), but more and more people are becoming aware of the huge ecological and economic advantages of industrial hemp products. There are approximately 25,000 possible uses of hemp fibre or oil seed. Did you know that hemp could be used to make things as diverse as textiles, paper, cosmetics, food, rope, cement, fuels and even didgeridoos and dynamite? Indeed, hemp's real name is Cannabis Sativa, meaning 'useful hemp'.
The Columbia History of the World says that the oldest relic of human industry dates back to 8,000BC and is, incredibly, a scrap of hemp. Also, from 1000BC to 1883 AD hemp was the largest agricultural crop in the world. Under the reign of Henry VIII all landowners had to sow at least a quarter of an acre of hemp or face a fine, and historical hemp farmers include George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Hemp suffered from the 1920s onwards as cotton and then petroleum-based textiles began to replace hemp as the dominant cloth (the first pair of Levi's were in fact made from hemp!). Even so, in 1935 some 116 million pounds of hemp seeds were used just for paints and varnishes in the US (many paintings by Van Gogh and Rembrandt were actually originally painted on hemp canvas with hemp-based paints). The hemp industry was forced into decline under the pressure of the powerful interests driving the cotton and petro-chemical textile industries. These interests with their political and governmental connections ensured that hemp became associated with the cannabis drug and by 1971 the crop was classed as a restricted plant under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
Did you know? In Elizabethan times, farmers were fined for not growing hemp.
Source: hemp.co.uk
This was a tremendous shame as the major global fibre crop, cotton, is also the most environmentally harmful, using 30% of the world's pesticides. However, as pests have become more resistant to these chemicals, larger quantities are required, poisoning both land and water. In ecological terms, hemp is an extremely important natural resource. Every part of the plant can be utilized; it requires little or no chemical pesticides and has a typical growing cycle of 100 days (although this cycle varies depending on the end use of the hemp). Further, hemp cloth repels up to 95% of UV rays when woven very tightly. Paul Benhaim, who has pioneered the UK hemp industry, explains in his book H.E.M.P.: "Hemp is a wonderful rotation crop for large farmers. It has the ability to grow below the soil nearly as fast as it grows above the soil. A fully matured hemp crop is likely to reach three to four metres. The tap root of this plant is likely to be around one to two metres. This means that the plant is able to draw previously untouched nutrients to help it grow at such a speed. There are few crops in existence that are as fast growing. ... The speed at which densely sown hemp creates a canopy coupled with the speed of growth insures that very few other 'weeds' can grow and attack the plant. This results in approximately zero amounts of insecticides being required. Hemp and the soil - what a team.”
Hemp paper is one of the most eco-friendly hemp products; if an area of hemp is compared to the same area of trees, hemp can produce four times as much paper, requires only 1/5 of the sulphur based chemicals and none of the chlorine used in paper making.
Did you know? The US Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper.
Source: hemp.co.uk
One of the most unusual hemp products was made in 1937 when Henry Ford built the 'Biomass Car' that was built from hemp and run on hemp fuel. In fact, hemp is a viable alternative for hundreds of different products that are currently derived from petrochemicals. As well as biomass fuel (from fuel pellets to liquid fuel), hemp can be made into easily biodegradable, non-toxic plant-based plastics for everything from plastic containers to car parts and even frisbees. Research into this field is increasing and yielding promising, practical results.
The benefits of hemp can also be felt on a more personal level - hemp seed is more nutritious than soybean and has a more balanced source of essential fatty acids than evening primrose oil, flax or cod liver oil. It contains Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats in a balance perfect for human consumption. It is very high in protein and high in B vitamins and it tastes good too! Hemp has a distinctive nutty flavour and can be used in everything from salad dressings to ice cream and flour to beer. Hemp oil is one of the most effective moisturisers available and is made into soaps, lip balms, body creams and even deodorants.
As hemp is a rapid-growth, sustainable crop with low-maintenance costs and thousands of possible uses, it is a valuable economic investment. Since 1993 the UK has allowed hemp cultivation under licence and today is one of only 30 countries worldwide in which it is legal to grow hemp. In 2006 more than 3,500 acres of hemp were harvested as an industrial crop in the UK. British hemp is used mainly for paper, textiles and animal bedding (Queen Elizabeth II uses hemp bedding for her horses!). In 1999 America granted its first hemp permit: to Hawaii for one-quarter acre. According to the Hemp Industries Association, US retail sales of hemp products have risen to nearly US$300 (£145) million annually.
While much hemp is grown with few or no chemicals, Natural Collection likes to be sure and so has started selling products from some of the very few certified organic hemp farms in the world.
Natural Collection offers a variety of hemp products - click here to browse
Sources:
- The Hemp Industries Association: www.thehia.org
- The Hemp Food Industries Association: www.hemp.co.uk
- The North American Industrial Hemp Council: www.naihc.org
© Green Dot Guides Ltd 2008
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