Why Hemp?
The reason why hemp lends itself so well to
plastic production comes down to something
called cellulose.
All plastics, no matter where it's derived from,
require cellulose to structure the uniquely
mouldable, yet durable, characteristics.
Petroleum has long been the go-to ingredient
to source this cellulose, but now companies
are branching out in the quest for more
sustainable materials.
Hemp is a perfect replacement for petroleum,
considering hemp hurds are roughly 80
percent cellulose in nature.
Unlike petroleum, hemp can be organically
grown and is non-toxic.
The Future of Hemp Plastics
Although in the past there have been many
problems with supposedly biodegradable
plastics, the recent innovations are putting
these issues to bed.
Hemp plastics are quickly proving equally as
diverse as regular plastics.
According to Canopy Corporation, the future
of hemp plastic is bright.
Automotive companies across Europe are
moving away from petroleum-based plastics
entirely for the dashboards, panelling and
other design touches in new models.
The sheer number of parts melded from hemp
plastics demonstrates its usability as a
material.
The benefits of hemp plastics far outweigh
their petroleum-based counterparts.
For example, it’s estimated that hemp
fiberglass costs only .50 to .70 cents per
pound, in comparison to upward of 5 dollars
per pound for carbon-based fiberglass.
On top of this, hemp products are continually
shown to be more durable in accidents and are
always much lighter than a metal equivalent.
Hemp plastics, alongside a host of other
biodegradable plastic alternatives, are on the
rise.
It’s entirely feasible that in the very near
future, all plastics will come from a
sustainable,
biodegradable
resource.
Currently, hemp plastic is used to make
speaker systems, guitar picks, 3D printer
filaments, and thousands of other items.
https://www.cannabistech.com/articles/why-
the-world-needs-hemp-
plastic/