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Hemp plant. By Hendrike 14:33, 23 November 2006 (UTC) (Own work) [CC BY-SA 2.5 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons

Five Fun Facts about Hemp

For a company that sells organic clothing, you may be wondering why we would be interested in hemp. Besides the fact that Garden Kids offers corduroy apparel containing 45% conventionally grown hemp, we love that the hemp plant has so many different uses and it’s very eco-friendly.

Here are five fun, cool and fascinating facts about hemp:

1. Hemp and marijuana are not the same thing.

Industrial hemp — the hemp that’s used in fabrics, food and other products — and marijuana are different breeds of Cannabis sativa. The amount of THC, the chief intoxicant in marijuana, that is found in industrial hemp is very low.

2. Hemp can be grown without the use of chemicals.

Because the hemp plant is resistant to many insects and diseases, it can be grown without herbicides or pesticides. It’s also a very soil-friendly crop in that it creates its own mulch.

Hemp plants. By Plismo (Own work) [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

3. Hemp can be used to make clothing, paper, personal care products and food.

It may be hard to believe, but the draft of the Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper! Hemp seed oil supplies healthy moisture to skin and hair, making it an ideal choice for all-natural shampoos and soaps.

4. Hemp seed is high in protein and essential fatty acids (EFAs).

Research has shown that omega-3s play a huge role in reducing cholesterol, lowering the risk of cardiac disease and helping in the management of diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. Hemp oil contains the highest amount of EFAs found in any nut or seed oil, and has the distinct advantage over fish oil, a popular source of omega-3s, in that it is vegetarian- and vegan-friendly. The amount of omega-3s found in one tablespoon of hemp seed oil provides more than the recommended dosage by the National Institutes of Health.

Granola made with pumpkin, sesame and hemp seeds, plus dried cranberries and goji berries. Image courtesy Granola Girl Granola.

5. Hemp has multiple applications in the automotive industry, including use as a biofuel.

Studies have shown that there is potential for hemp to be used as a biofuel along with corn and other vegetable oils. Because hemp grows easily and rapidly, it has an advantage over other biofuels. And believe it or not, there’s now a car made of hemp! Motive Industries in Calgary, Alberta has developed the Kestrel, the world’s first biocomposite electric car made of hemp.

Curious to find out more about this versatile plant? Check out the Hemp Industries Association and HempFarm.org.