Can Hemp Stand Out in the Biosourced Materials Revolution?

With growing awareness of environmental issues and how industrial practices can have significant impacts on these, the market for biosourced materials is ever-expanding, across industries like construction and textiles. 

One such biosourced material is Hemp, a renewable zero-waste material used in a variety of industrial and commercial products. And due to the confluence of advances over the last few decades in biological sciences and environmental regulations, the biosourced materials revolution is here to stay.

The Future of Biosourced Materials 

The industrial revolution, modernised agriculture practices, and large-scale factory production have greatly enhanced our standard of living. However, these have also caused severe environmental problems that threaten the degradation of our natural resources and the health of humans around the world.

New measures, including The Global Plastics Treaty, aim to combat plastic pollution and drive the adoption of renewable materials from biological origin. Combine this with increased worldwide customer awareness and demand for sustainable practices, and it makes sense that the innovation of biosourced materials remains on an upward trajectory. 

Biosourced materials refer to materials that originate from animals, plants, fungi, and other living organisms. The creation of these materials are safe to produce and can break down in the earth or be recycled over and over again. Widespread use of biosourced materials reduces greenhouse gas emissions and uses less fossil-based raw materials, paving the way to a better and more sustainable future. 

Vegetable biomass, like wood and flax alongside animal biomass, like wool and goose down are leading the biosourced materials revolution. A relevant material that continues to rise in popularity is Hemp, since plant cultivation has less impact on the environment compared to animals, and due to its unique properties that benefit multiple industries.  

Hemp: A Game Changer Across Multiple Industries 

Textiles 

As one of the strongest natural fibres around, hemp remains one of the best alternatives to cotton due to the requirement of less water, land, and pesticides during cultivation. Hemp can also be integrated into textile blends, usually alongside silk and cotton in woven materials or knits. As for its use in consumer textiles, hemp remains a popular option for clothing, bedding, shoes, and home interior products. 

The processing of hemp also lends to its usability in textiles. The hemp fibre is stiff and coarse due to the natural properties of the plant and its high tensile strength. However, with greater wear over time and through tactical blending with other fibres, softness and comfort factors can be enhanced. 

The focus of industrial textiles remains on the strength and durability of the materials used due to the harsh conditions that have to be endured. Hemp’s remarkable properties including its lightweight nature, resistance to repeated external loads, and dampening effects due to its layered structure, makes it one of the more popular bio-based plastics, alongside flax and other plant fibres. 

Construction 

From building insulation and wall coverings, to “hempcrete,” a type of concrete alternative used in construction and insulation, hemp has many applications in the construction industry. In particular, the market for bio-based construction materials is growing in Europe. This is due to the European Union introducing new policies to boost bio-based construction to hit proposed targets. 

Hemp does come with its downsides though — it can be costlier than traditional building materials and the domestic supply chain can be limited. Scaling up the production of hemp buildings and construction materials means increasing domestic hempcrete production to decrease reliance on imported hemp, which in turn lowers costs. 

One of the more exciting applications of hemp is Hempcrete, the most common hemp-based material used for construction and able to replace foam, fibreglass, or rockwool. The plant stalk of hemp is combined with water and lime, a mineral, to create a wet mix that can be packed onto structural frames or turned into panels and blocks. The draw of hempcrete ranges from being non-toxic, fire and pest-resistant, and thermal regulating properties, all of which lends to improved comfort and safety across buildings. 

Paper 

Hemp paper is not a new concept. In 150 BC the first form of paper was created in China, and it was made from hemp. Compared to paper created from wood pulp, hemp provides numerous benefits regarding the paper production process and usage. One big upside is the durability of hemp paper, with hemp fibres being excellent at resisting decomposition and browning over time. 

However, the main benefit of hemp paper over commonly used wood pulp lies in the sustainability of the paper production. Processing hemp into paper requires less toxic chemicals and can slow deforestation due to the rate of growth of the hemp plant. As more awareness grows around the environmental impact of traditional paper production, there may be an increased shift towards more sustainable printing paper, cardboard, and packaging, with hemp and other alternative fibres. 

Biofuels 

Fossil fuels were the lifeblood of the industrial revolution, and still to this day, are widely used due to having a high energy density compared to solar energy or wind power. However, excessive use of these fossil fuels have also resulted in detrimental effects — from climate change and global warming, to deforestation. 

In the 19th Century, biofuels began to rise in popularity. Unlike fossil fuels, biofuels are considered to be a renewable resource and are made from biomass materials, including crops like soybean and hemp. Two main sources of fuel can be extracted from hemp, hemp biodiesel from the hemp seed oil and hemp ethanol from the fermented stalk. And with new research highlighting the potential use of hemp for electrical purposes, the future of hemp as a fuel source is exciting. 

The Environmental Benefits of Hemp 

The widespread use of hemp could also result in numerous environmental benefits. 

• Soil regeneration 
• Fast-growing and high-yield farming 
• Less water and land required for growth 
• Air purification 
• Pest-resistant 
• Helps against pesticides
• Absorbs toxic materials 
• Habitat for wildlife 
• Landfill use reduction 

The Bottom Line

As research and global awareness of sustainability practices continue to increase, the shift towards a full biosourced material revolution is inevitable. But can hemp stand out? Its unique properties and fast adoption across numerous industries certainly points at it being a frontrunner. The hemp industry is predicted to reach a global value of $17.24 billion by 2030, making it an exciting material to look towards and invest in.

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