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We’re here to tell you that calling hemp a wonder plant is not an exaggeration. We repeat: not an exaggeration.
The number of things industrial hemp can be used for and made into is simply staggering. Here’s 10 of the most common products you can make from industrial hemp – things we use every day, and many that would be far more sustainable if crafted from hemp. We can wear hemp, live in it, drink it, drink from it, eat it, write on it, power up our vehicles on it… In 1941, Henry Ford (of Ford) even made a car entirely out of hemp.
The question isn’t what can industrial hemp be used for, but what can’t it?!
Hemp cloth
Hemp has been used for textiles since time immemorial. Archaeologists have found cloth made from hemp as far back as 10,000 years ago. More recently, hemp clothing has been making a comeback – from fashion brand trainers to silk lingerie.
Hemp clothing is breathable and thermo-regulating, meaning it can keep you warm in the heat and cool in the cold. It’s also incredibly durable, which is why it’s often used for jeans and shoes – but alongside its durability, it gets softer every time you wash it.
An acre of hemp produces triple the amount of clothing as an acre of cotton (and requires far less water and chemicals to grow). The answer’s clear to us…
Hemp building materials
All hail hemp houses! A diverse array of building materials can be made from hemp – and, you guessed it, they are environmentally-friendly alternatives to many of the supplies typically used in construction. Hemp can be turned into concrete – hempcrete; used to insulate buildings; and to make engineered building products like fiberboard. The most popular hemp building material is hempcrete – an infill material made from mixing hemp hurds with a lime-based binder and water.
Hemp food & drinks
Other than the ever-fashionable CBD shots you can now get in your coffee in trendy cafes, hemp can be used to make a variety of different drinks, from gin and fermented beer to infused teas and hemp milk. Hemp seeds are also great for eating – sprinkled on a salad or a smoothie. The hemp seed is 25% protein, and a great source of calcium, iron and omega-3.
Hemp paper
Hemp has been used to make paper for at least 2,000 years – despite the fact today it only accounts for about 0.05% of paper production. Hemp paper is a far more sustainable way of making paper than the norm – cutting down trees – as the plant grows in 3-4 months, compared to years, and sometimes decades, for trees. What’s more, hemp paper can be recycled seven times, compared to just three times for wood pulp paper.
Fun fact: America’s original Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper.
Biodegradable hemp plastics
Hemp is one of those rarest of things: an environmentally-friendly plastic. Think shower curtains, water bottles, DVD cases… all 100% biodegradable. In a world with a mounting plastic problem, hemp could be the environmental solution we need. While it takes the average plastic bottle 450 years to decompose, hemp plastic can biodegrade within 6 months.
Chemical cleanup
One of the most interesting uses of industrial hemp is as a clean-up agent. In the 1990s, hemp was tested at the site of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Ukraine to help heal the damaged soil – and they found it did successfully absorb the radioactive toxins. Farmers also use hemp to clean their soils: the plant absorbs toxins and metals, with no effect on the plant, and restores nutrients to the earth as it grows.
Ink
Why not write on your hemp paper with hemp ink?! Hemp oil is the ideal base for non-toxic ink. It’s also used as a natural tattoo ink.
Hemp beauty products
Unlike so many of the products we unwittingly put on our skin, hemp doesn’t contain anything harmful or toxic. Hemp seed oil is abundant with vitamins A, C and E, and full of antioxidants, fatty acids and amino acids – all essential for healthy, glowing skin. More and more, hemp beauty products are appearing on the market. Hemp is used in creams for anti-ageing, to reduce acne, to clear pores. It’s also used to make nail varnish, shampoo and a multitude of other products!
Nappies
Slightly unexpected, this one. But as we said, there’s truly no limit to what you can make out of industrial hemp! According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, over 18 billion diapers are thrown into landfills every year. Let that sink in. In the US, diapers make up an astonishing 2% of all waste. Hemp diapers are durable, comfortable and environmentally-friendly – even more sustainable than washable cotton nappies. The nappies are also stronger, better at absorbing moisture and last much longer than their cotton counterparts.
Hemp paint
In the most common paint, volatile organic compounds are released into the atmosphere when the paint dries. These are bad for both the environment and anyone who breathes them in. In contrast, hemp-oil based paints are natural and toxin-free. What’s not to like?!