Hemp is a versatile substance that can be used not just in CBD, but in other things as well. To celebrate National Hemp Day, today I will guide you through what hemp is used for.
What is Hemp?
Before we divulge into the uses of hemp, it's best to explain what hemp is. Hemp is a type of cannabis that contains less than 0.3% THC. Due to its low THC content and high CBD content, it is usually used to make CBD products.
Food
It has been shown that hemp seeds and hemp oils are highly nutritious, and an effective source of protein, minerals and fibre. Because of this, it is used by many people to create products like hemp milk and hemp cheese substitutes, as well as replacements for protein powder. It has also been found to provide you with the necessary amino acids and nutrients. Several people get this from fish, but hemp oil is preferred by vegetarians and people concerned with overfishing.
Hemp is also good for animals, and is recommended by many vets for feeding animals and livestock. Several European fishermen use hemp seeds as an effective bait. When they can choose, birds have been shown to prefer hemp seeds over regular bird seed.
Rope, Fabric and Textiles
Because of its flexibility, strength and tolerance to water damage, hemp was the traditional rope making material. Hemp has been essential to the Navy, the shipping trade, and fishing in the past since it was used to make ropes, riggings, nets, and sails.
Hemp could be used to make a range of fabrics since it is similar but longer lasting than cotton. Hemp is good for making rugs and other textiles as well. The word canvas actually derives from the Latin word for hemp.
Hemp was used to make the oldest known woven fabric, as well as the first denim jeans by Levi Strauss and the first American flag. Until the cotton industry expanded in America, hemp was a common material for clothes.
Body Care
Hemp has become a common ingredient in body creams and other skin, hair, and beauty products due to its high content of beneficial oils and natural emollient properties. It is a great substitute to the toxic chemicals used in many petroleum lotions and cosmetics.
Paper
Hemp is a perfect material for paper production. It can regrow in just a few months months (unlike trees that can take 30 years or more to become harvestable after planting). Using hemp for paper can help save forests around the world.
Hemp has been used for thousands of years to make paper. It produces a paper of fine quality that is naturally acid-free and does not turn yellow and fragile over time like normal paper.
Alternatives to Plastic
Standard plastic is made with toxic fossil fuels. Nearly everything we buy is wrapped in plastic wrapping, and it fills our landfills. Hemp can be used to make a number of alternatives to plastic.
In 1941, Henry Ford organised a media event to show the power of hemp by swinging an axe at a prototype car body constructed of hemp and other plant material. Unfortunately, the technology never developed and was never mass produced, so cars continued to be made from steel and petrochemical plastics.
Thankfully, as awareness of the importance of producing renewable alternatives increases, the amount of products available made from hemp plastics is growing.
Fuel
Hemp oil was used as lamp oil for centuries, however, when petroleum was introduced in the 1870s, it began to phase out. Hemp oil can currently be used to produce biofuels to replace gasoline for diesel engines. Biofuels are sustainable and contain less carbon monoxide than fossil fuels.
Construction
The hemp plant can make strong, durable building materials. Cement made from hemp, for instance, uses the minerals and core fibres. When hemp is used to make homes, it is more resistant to bad weather and incurs less damage.
Hempcrete, a combination of hemp hurds and lime, is often used as a construction and insulation material. Hempcrete is easier to use than concrete and is not as fragile, ensuring it does not need expansion joints when used for building. Recent changes in hemp legislation will potentially make Hempcrete the material for builders around the world one day.
With the rising awareness of hemp and its uses around the world, hopefully it will one day become a valuable material that a lot of people use for fuel, construction or as an alternative to plastic.
