Hemp fibers - What are they and how they are used

Hemp fiber materials are slowly gaining popularity as the world learns more and more about the positive impact growing hemp can have vs. other materials often used in manufacturing that can be harmful to the environment, take forever to break down, and are costly to grow and harvest. Hemp fiber is being touted as just one possible solution to many environmental challenges we face today with our overuse of glass and plastics. So precisely what is hemp fiber?

What is hemp fiber - Hemp fiber is produced by growing and harvesting a very specific variety of the Sativa plant species called Hemp or Industrial Hemp. Hemp Plants are the fastest growing plant that can produce strong, useful, fibrous material. Hemp fiber was first spun into usable fibers approximately 10 000 years ago and has since been used across the globe. Hemp fiber strength is twice as strong as wood fiber and takes only a fraction of the time to grow making it an efficient, useful, versatile, all-natural plant material.

How is hemp fiber harvested? The fibers from a fully matured hemp plant are harvested by cutting down hemp plants en masse and trimming everything away from the stalk of the plant. The stem is then skinned, and the inner fibers dried before being combined by either weaving with other fibers or by grinding down that fibrous center of a hemp plant into a paste.

What can hemp be used to make

Hemp fiber strength is unmatched by any other natural producers of fibers. Because of its strength, it can be used to make almost anything you can think of. Unfortunately, due to the laws surrounding the growing and cultivation of hemp plants the market has yet to see hemp fiber reach its fullest potential. Hemp Fibers can be used in the making of, clothing, backpacks, tents, disposable cutlery, rope, wicks, paper, canvas, paint, insulation, glues, and more. Hemp fibers also make an excellent and effective fiber supplement that can be taken orally to assist with digestion and bowel movements.

Industrial hemp uses

The term industrial hemp refers to hemp plants that are not ever utilized or grown in the making of drugs. Industrial hemp is currently used in the making of flooring and textiles, insulation, roof shingles, health food, biodegradable plastics, paints, drywall, and fuel. The most significant between regular hemp strains and industrial hemp plants are the industrial hemp plants inability to produce any substances like THC or CBD that could be used in the making of drugs.

Hemp farming

Hemp is beneficial for many reasons not limited to the constructing of conventional products we use today. Hemp plants are fast growing an require a large intake of CO2 which is a gas found in our environment that is contributing to global warming. They also need no fertilizers or special treatment making them a preferable alternative because they can be grown organically. Hemp produces up to four times the total raw product of any other plant or tree that is harvest-able for fibers making it not only the most environmentally friendly option but also a potential answer for our deforestation and landfills that we are struggling hard to maintain in any safe way.

In conclusion

It appears hemp plants fibrous content could be the key element in a vast cultural shift that is occurring as the world searches for cheaper, stronger, more environmentally friendly material options. The hemp plant may not solve all of our problems, but it is certain to provide a positive change as it becomes the product of the future just as plastic is today.