Hemp is a variety of the cannabis sativa plant. The main differentiating factor between cannabis and hemp is its very low THC content. As hemp only contains trace amounts of the psychoactive cannabinoid it is legal in many places throughout the world. Like cannabis, there are many strains of hemp containing different cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids. Some produce more seeds whilst others have been bred for their fibres.
Hemp is one of the most versatile plants in the plant kingdom. It is used to produce the following;
Food
The seeds from hemp are high in protein, fat, fibre, B vitamins and iron. They can be turned into hemp milk, hemp oil or eaten raw. Also the leaves, though not as nutritional, can be consumed in salads or pressed to make hemp juice.
Clothing
Hemp fabrics are made from the fibres found on the stalks of the hemp plant. The fabric surpasses cotton and other textiles by most metrics whilst still maintaining a very similar texture to cotton. Clothes made from hemp tend to last 3 times as long as clothes made from cotton.
Building materials
Hemp blocks, made with hemp and lime, have been used as an insulating material for construction. They are not strong enough to be used for structural elements however they are becoming a popular choice for insulation.
Paper
Unfortunately, although hemp paper is a more sustainable option, it is currently cost prohibitive at four to five times the production cost as paper from wood. We hope to see more innovation from the industry to drive costs down so that we can use a paper that doesn’t require the use of toxic bleaching or as many chemicals as wood pulp paper whilst helping to prevent deforestation.
Biofuels
Hempoline is a biodiesel made from the oil in hemp seeds. Hemp ingests CO2 faster than trees and also returns 70% of its nutrients back into the soil. This means that hemp requires less fertiliser and is a great renewable resource crop.
CBD production
Though hemp has lower concentrations of THC, it does produce another useful cannabinoid called cannabidiol (CBD). It can be consumed in a number of ways and you can try our very own CBD gummies by heading to our online shop.
How can hemp help the economy and why should it happen?
We believe that a hemp economy is a sustainable economy. In recent decades, the effects of unsustainable practises have accelerated climate change. Hemp can serve more than 2500 purposes and poses a much more sustainable alternative to other traditional crops. Hemp;
- Returns higher amounts of nutrients to the ground
- Uses less water than traditional crops
- Produces higher yields from the same space
- Naturally resistant to pests, diseases and fungus
- Hemp grows much faster which can increase profit for farmers
- Can help address deforestation
