Worldwide, the race is on to find solutions to the approximately 8 million metric tons of plastic entering the oceans each year. Simply cutting down on plastic use and exchanging single-use items with wood-derived materials seemed like a good start. However, the pandemic-related supply chain disruptions in 2020 exposed the volatility of lumber prices, which were further triggered by natural disasters such as wildfires and an increasing demand for housing.
Wood alone was not the solution for solving the plastic crisis, let alone that we would steer toward the extinction of our forests if we tried to replace plastic with wood alone. This is how renewable feedstock made it onto the radar. Plants were needed that neither deplete soils nor have high water, insecticide, or fertilizer requirements. The quest to reduce dependency on fossil fuels and to lower the energy-intensive nature of conventional plastic production brought hemp back to the table of solutions.
Integrating hemp fiber into biocomposites offers a promising alternative to carbon fiber and synthetic plastics, with a significantly lower carbon footprint. This covers industries from outdoor sports gear to automotive components, in which hemp-based materials are shaping a more sustainable future by accelerating the move beyond outdated plastic dependencies, thus significantly lowering environmental impact.
However, misconceptions persist—especially the term “hemp plastic,” which oversimplifies the nature of plastics and biocomposites. While plastics are divided into soft and hard types, hemp finds its strength in the latter. Biocomposites are not simple plastic substitutes; they are advanced materials composed of natural fibers and resins, offering superior strength, durability, and environmental benefits.
The 1950s and 1960s marked the “Plastic Fantastic” era, when plastic transformed industries, influencing fashion, furniture, and technology. Its durability and lightweight nature initially seemed advantageous, but its low production cost led to mass production without a sustainable disposal strategy. As a result, plastic waste spread uncontrollably into oceans and across landmasses, breaking down into smaller particles that now dominate the food chain in the form of microplastics.
While conventional plastics take centuries to decompose, some biocomposites offer biodegradable options, and many companies are focusing on recycling their products at the end of their life cycles. Hemp-based composites have already been successfully integrated into the automotive, construction, and outdoor sports industries. The automotive sector has employed hemp biocomposites for decades in interior panels and body components, reducing vehicle weight and, in turn, emissions.
In consumer goods, hemp-based biocomposites have been incorporated into durable travel gear, screws, cutlery, headlamps, and bottle tops, significantly reducing CO2 emissions while maintaining high performance. The outdoor sports industry followed this trend with the first hemp-based ski in 2017. This sector demands materials that withstand extreme conditions, making durability essential. By replacing petrochemical-derived and energy-intensive carbon fiber with hemp fiber, manufacturers have significantly reduced energy consumption in production. Due to their high durability and resilience, hemp-based materials are gaining traction in gear such as skis and hiking poles. What began as research at universities has now reached major outdoor equipment brands, with products already available on the market.
Hemp’s potential extends beyond individual products—it represents a shift toward systemic sustainability. As research and development in the biocomposite sector progress and industries integrate hemp’s strength and renewability on a larger scale, these niche products, which currently come at a higher cost, will become more accessible and competitively priced. Hemp certainly is not the only plant playing a role in this transition to more sustainable materials, but it is one of wide utilization, especially within the biocomposite sector.
As a passionate winter sports enthusiast, I have tested various hemp skis over the past decade and am convinced that these innovative products will revolutionize the outdoor sports industry. This shift is not just about preserving the natural environments where we enjoy these activities but also about ensuring our equipment is less destructive to the great outdoors. As described in my previous article on phytoremediation, there are already new, practical, and sustainable products that even incorporate materials from remediation sites into long-lasting (sports) equipment.
As a Climate Impact Storyteller, Maren Krings leverages her expertise in photography, filmmaking, content writing, and keynote speaking to highlight the potential of hemp for climate resilience and social justice. She holds a B.F.A. in Photography from the Savannah College of Art & Design, a degree in Climate Change Studies and Environmental Science from the University of Exeter, and multiple certifications in related fields.
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