Hemp, which is the source of CBD for all of Lab+Blends products, has the distinction of being one of the oldest known agricultural products. (See: “What Are the Differences Between Cannabis, Marijuana and Hemp?) Today, it’s used for making clothing, paper, fiberboard, and environmentally friendly plastic alternatives. It’s also used in the production of soaps, shampoos, skin care products and more. But there are some other fascinating facts about hemp you probably didn’t know:
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Hemp farming goes back thousands of years
Farming of hemp goes back as far as 10,000 years in China and its industrialization dates back to ancient Egypt.[1] -
Hemp has the strongest and longest plant fiber in the world
Hemp is resistant to rot and abrasion and was in use before the patent of nylon in 1937 for ship rigging, military uniforms, parachute webbing, baggage and more.[2] -
Hemp was once used to pay taxes
In Colonial Times hemp was such an important crop that you were allowed to pay taxes with it. [3] -
Blue Jeans were made from hemp
Originally, Levi jeans were made from hemp sailcloth (and rivets) for goldminers in California, where the miners needed a sturdy cloth because they filled their pockets with gold. [4] -
Henry Ford showcased a car made from hemp
In 1941, Henry Ford showcased the prototype of a car made from hemp that could run on hemp fuel as well as vegetable oil. “The cars panels were moulded under hydraulic pressure of 1,500-pound psi from a recipe that used 70 percent of cellulose fibres from wheat straw, hemp and sisal plus 30 percent resin binder.”[5] -
Hemp helped win WWII
Hemp was used to make many of the essential products for the military, from sails for ships to ropes. During World War II, the U.S. Department of Agriculture made a thirteen-minute video to promote hemp cultivation throughout the United States as part of the “Hemp for Victory” campaign.[6] -
Hemp absorbs toxic metals
Scientists planted hemp at Chernobyl and found that it conducted phytoremediation (the use of plants to destroy or remove contaminants from the air, soil and groundwater) and removed chemicals from the soil better than any other plant. [7] -
Hemp can be used as fuel for cars
The oil from hemp seed can be converted into biodiesel that is both biodegradable and non-toxic. Also, the fermented stalk can be made into ethanol and methanol. [8] -
An essential nutrient in hemp is also in breast milk
Hemp is rich in gamma linolenic acid (GLA), which also is found in breast milk. Hemp also is a rich source of vitamins, including calcium, potassium, magnesium, fiber and iron. [9] -
Hemp can produce four times as much paper as trees can
Trees are made up of 30 percent cellulose versus hemp which has up to 85 percent natural cellulose! This cellulose is transformed into pulp for paper. And Hemp is much quicker than trees to produce the same amount of fibers needed for paper. It takes 20 – 80 years to grow trees ready for producing paper versus four months for hemp![10]With so much going for it, it’s no wonder that hemp demand is “growing.”
Hemp-derived CBD is the key ingredient in all of Lab+Blends CBD products. Our entire Pain Relief product line, as well as our Daily Dose Total Wellness Drops also contain hempseed oil.
[1] “26 Interesting Facts About Hemp,” Oh Facts, accessed July 16, 2020. https://ohfact.com/interesting-facts-hemp/
[2] “Hemp Facts and Statistics,” National Hemp Association, accessed July 16, 2020. https://nationalhempassociation.org/facts-statistics-hemp/
[3] “Forget Money: How the World Paid Taxes in the Past,” Intuit Turbotax, accessed July 16, 2020. https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/fun-facts/forget-money-how-the-world-paid-taxes-in-the-past/L5pyCMXgu
[4] “Hemp Facts and Statistics”
[5] “Forget Electric Cars! Henry Ford’s Cannabis car was made from Hemp: 10xStronger than steel, 100% green!, Express Drives, accessed July 16, 2020. https://www.financialexpress.com/auto/car-news/forget-electric-cars-henry-fords-cannabis-car-was-made-from-hemp-10xstronger-than-steel-100-green/1384733/
[6] Levy, John, “Here’s 8 Things You Didn’t Know About Hemp,” Ministry of Hemp, November 7, 2017. https://ministryofhemp.com/blog/8-facts-about-hemp/
[7] McKee Simmons, Kate, “Ten Cool Facts About Hemp From the NoCo Expo,” April 3, 2017. https://www.westword.com/marijuana/hemp-ten-cool-facts-about-a-growing-industry-8934976
[8] Ibid
[9] “11 Cool Hemp Facts,” The Hemp Shop blog, accessed July 16, 2020 https://www.thehempshop.co.uk/blog/11-facts-about-hemp-that-you-probably-didnt-know/#
[10] Ibid