About hemp

Hemp is one of the most environmentally sensible, sustainable and versatile plants
to be grown on the planet.

There are many products made from its fibre, which include: all grades of paper, textiles, geo-textiles, structural reinforcement building materials, fibreglass replacement products, lightweight sandwich boards, composite boards, absorbency products such as animal bedding, kitty litter, potting mix, nappies and feminine-care products, as well as fuel.

Hemp seed whole, hulled or crushed for oil is used in food products such as muesli bars, cakes, breads, biscuits, butter paste, non-dairy milk, tofu, cheese and ice cream.

Hemp seed oil is a superior cosmetic oil and both the essential and cold pressed oils are used in many cosmetics (such as shampoo, soap and moisturiser).

Hemp offers a viable fibre alternative, which is needed as world population and fibre consumption increases. While the use of wood, cotton and synthetic products is being discouraged due to environmental concerns, the gap between fibre supply and demand will inevitably increase.

Facts about hemp

• Until 1883, more than 3/4 of the world's paper was made from hemp fibre; in Elizabethan times, farmers were fined for not growing hemp!
• A hemp crop produces nearly 4 times as much raw fibre as an equivalent-sized tree plantation
• Trees take approximately 20 years to mature, while hemp takes 4 months
• Hemp fibre needs no pesticides
• Hemp needs no herbicides because it grows too quickly for any weed to compete
• Hemp paper does not need chlorine bleach, which pollutes rivers near wood-pulp paper mills
• Hemp paper is stronger, finer and longer-lasting than wood-based papers
• Hemp paper is used for bank notes and archival papers
• The earliest-known woven fabric was apparently of hemp, which began to be worked approximately 8,000-7,000 BC
• The war between America and Great Britain in 1812 was mainly about access to Russian Hemp
• Napoleon's principle reason for tragically invading Russia in 1812 was also due to Russian Hemp supplies!
• The word 'linen', until the early 1800s meant any fine fabrics made from Hemp or flax
• Our forests, what is left of them, are being cut down 3 times as fast as they can grow
• Japan is targeting that 10% of paper must be from non-wood fibres by 2005
• Further, hemp fibre has been found to be a lighter, stronger alternative to fibreglass
• Hemp offers a valuable and sustainable fuel of the future, "growing oil wells". Hemp has an output equivalent to around 1000 gallons of methanol per acre year (10 tons Biomass/acre, each yielding 100 gal. methanol/ton). Methanol used today is mainly made from natural gas, a fossil fuel. Methanol is currently being studied as a primary fuel for automobiles.
• Hemp grain does not contain the anti-nutrient trypsin inhibitors as found in soy milk
• Hanf in German, Canamo in Spanish, Chanvre in French, Konoplya in Russian, Kender in Hungarian, Tal Ma in Chinese — Hemp is fully international!