Why use hemp and what are the benefits?

Hemp has been used for generations upon generations, but no specific date can be given for the origin of hemp as we were not alive to witness it and history has been rearranged and veiled. However given its countless uses and benefits we can only assume it has been used since the beginning of humanity.

Building materials are one amongst the many uses hemp provides that is overlooked by the majority. Hempcrete is a great example with its origin allegedly dating back to the 6th century.

The possibilities are endless and there may be ways to use Hemp that we have not yet discovered.

But why use hemp instead of other materials?

Why use hemp instead of trees ?

Trees take roughly 20 years to mature and hemp takes 4 months and in that time the trees will have produced 2.5 tonnes per acre while hemp provides a whopping 10 tonnes per acre.

Why use hemp instead of concrete ?

First of all hempcrete does not release any toxins into indoor environments which is obvoiusly a clear advantage.

It is also suggested that Hempcrete has great thermal mass giving better insulation, as it is made primarily from plant fibers, hempcrete is also able to store a lot of moisture and release it when conditions are right.

I think the more relevant question here though is..

why is hemp a better alternative to cotton ?

The cotton industry is severley toxic with 20 million tonnes being produced worldwide each year with the volume consistently increasing, the problem is mostly use of toxic pesticides, fertilizers and toxic chemicals. These chemicals are extremely harmful for the soil and 25% of insecticides and around 10% of all agrochemicals come from the cotton industry, whereas the cultivation of organic hemp enriches the soil.

Hemp grows faster, requires less water, is more durable and strong, can absorb more moisture and can produce the same yield in half the acerage of cotton.