Hemp is having its heyday.
As a material it has all sorts of uses and it is being heralded as the answer
to many eco issues but does hemp really live up to the hype?
Well, its eco-credentials
do seem to stack up. Unlike its rivals it is very fast growing, in fact, along
with bamboo it is one of the fastest growing plants on Earth and does not
require anywhere near the same amount of water to flourish – around one fifth of
that needed for cotton. It is also naturally pest resistant, meaning it does not
require harmful pesticides to farm it.
As an alternative to
plastic, it is non-toxic and biodegradable, and its natural fibers make it a soft
and breathable fabric.
A member of the Cannabis Sativa
plant species, there is a lot of confusion surrounding hemp as many people
associate it with the cannabis drug. However, the variety used to get “high”
has been specifically developed to contain high concentrations of
tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component, whereas industrial hemp
has very low levels of THC and higher concentrations of cannabidiol (CBD),
which decreases or eliminates its psychoactive effects.
It is believed humans were
cultivating this plant as many as 10,000 years ago. It has been found first in
pottery, then later for clothes, shoes, ropes, and paper. Following in our
ancestors’ footsteps, hemp is now enjoying a resurgence and is being used in the production of all of those
things and more besides.
Here is a list of places where
you can find hemp in our modern households.
Living room
As a fabric, hemp is soft,
super-strong and versatile – making it perfect for upholstery and soft
furnishings. Some companies are now creating whole ranges exclusively using hemp-based
fabrics.
With its many uses there
are a host of decorative items available, ranging from wall hangings made from
hemp cord to lamp shades made from hemp waste.
Bedroom
Ramp up the hemp in the
boudoir with bed linen, throws and cushions. Why not add a few decorative items
such a hemp rug at your feet or hemp curtains at the window too.
Bathroom
Luxuriate in the tub with a
wealth of hemp skincare products, such as face masks and body oils, and stock
up the bathroom cabinet with hemp products including lip balms and skin salves.
You can even get hemp toilet paper!
Kitchen
Hemp oil is becoming the
ingredient of the moment, with people using it infused into a coffee, combined with
a salad dressing and dropped into smoothies.
If you fancy adding hemp
oil to your foods opt for an organic brand such as Platinum
CBD.
Study
Pick up paper, pens and a
host of other stationary to stock up the home office, all made using hemp.
Garden
Stretch out on a piece of
hemp garden furniture, light a hemp scented candle and protect yourself from the
sun’s rays with a hemp parasol. Bliss.
The list of hemp-based
products is growing all the time. This eco-friendly material looks like it is
here to stay and is perhaps the answer to some of the environmental issues currently
being tackled.
So the next time you are
shopping for homeware, considering hemp might be a way to help reduce your
carbon footprint.