Occasionally dubbed an ecological “miracle crop,” industrial hemp is legal to grow in over 30 countries across the globe, and yet, America’s political class has been dragging its feet on the issue for decades. One part misinformation, one part War on Drugs hangover – America has been long encouraged to forget the vital role hemp has played in history.
For thousands of years, cannabis has been grown and processed across the globe to produce high quality natural fiber full of applications for everyday life. We use the word “cannabis” because in multiple cases, we know cultures were using the same crops to produce medicine as well as food, fiber and oil.
Q: What makes hemp superior to other natural fibers? A: One of the clearest points to be made about hemp fabric in studying physical and mechanical properties is its ability to provide the performance of synthetics without sacrificing the gentle feel of cotton, not to mention the smiles from environmentalists tired of pesticides, polluted water and a deepening petroleum dependency...
Q: Can hemp really help to preserve the environment? A: Ecologists confirm an environmental versatility that elevates hemp above other industrial crops. Because it has few pests, hemp makes it easy to grow organically, which is why it’s been found to leave a much smaller carbon footprint than organic cotton and petroleum products. Polyester, like other synthetics, derives from harmful petrochemicals that do damage to our planet and oftentimes your skin .
Q: Was hemp ever grown on U.S. soil? A: Where mainstream history books often fail is their wide omission of the fact that cannabis predates the idea of America itself. So vital was hemp to early North America that the British Crown even ordered the Jamestown Colony to grow the crop so colonies could sustain themselves and the Crown could meet the demand for these resources back in Britain.
Q: What's the current legal status of hemp in America? A: To import hemp fabrics and sterile hemp seeds into the U.S. is legal for anyone, but for nearly all of America’s farmers, these profits remain prohibited. Compared to the rest of the world, the U.S. is one of the only industrialized nations with such restrictions on the plant
Q: What is Hemp and how is hemp not marijuana? A: Words like cannabis, hemp and marijuana are used interchangeably by many, but what’s the real difference? Most recognizably, "marijuana" (a word with mysterious roots) is a plant grown primarily for THC – the psychotropic compound in cannabis many love for various reasons from physical to spiritual wellness. Hemp, on the other hand, is an industrial crop containing little to no THC and has been used in everyday commercial products from food to fuel to shelter.