One of the oldest and most eco friendly fibers in the world, hemp has been used over hundreds of years to create a range of items, including boat sails, ropes, paper, food and clothing. Hemp, the fibrous cousin of Marijuana, is quite durable and the products made with hemp are environmentally friendly and long lasting. One of the major reasons for the increasing usage of hemp is its ability to grow almost anywhere within a short span of time, which is normally around 100 days. Back in 1941, Henry Ford designed a car made from hemp plastic. With growing concerns for the environment, hemp fiber is nowadays being put into use for a variety of purposes. Check out some of the most unusual and interesting products made with hemp after the jump.
Natural dyed hemp belts
Sorazora is a Japanese business organization that makes clothing and all sorts of bags, hats and other accessories like belts, etc. To create these marvelous products natural fibers, natural dyes and natural fabrics are used ensuring harmony with the environment. The belts pictured above are entirely handmade by the Nepalese artisans. They are made with the wild hemp grown in Nepal and Himalayan nettle to make these natural belts, which could be fastened with two D rings. All the raw materials used to create these beautiful accessories had a total environmental profile and no chemical products have been ever used for the growth and maintenance of the hemp, nettle and even the medicinal herbs, which have been used as natural dyes.
Strange fruit bowl
Renowned artist Sasha Huber created this unusual artwork in the memory of the lynching of African Americans throughout the American racism history. From 1882 to 1968, around 3500 African Americans were executed in the United States. Drawing inspiration from the song ‘strange fruit’, performed by Billie Holiday, Sasha Huber created the ‘strange fruit bowl’ using metal staples on the burned wood with hemp ropes. The artwork showcases twisted ropes made from hemp inside the bowl and reminds the audience of lynching.
Eco friendly hemp chair
As everyone today is seeking to maintain a sustainable and healthy lifestyle that is in harmony with the nature, the demand for innovative environmentally friendly products is on the rise. Berlin based eco designer, Werner Aisslinger, has created the hemp chair by making use of hemp, the renewable and natural fiber. The chair boasts of a complex design with soft curves and eye catching horizontal and vertical wing structures. The designer made use of a lightweight manufacturing process ensuring high stability and low cost mass production of such objects. Besides using the natural hemp fiber, he also made a water base thermoset binder, which is also eco friendly, containing no phenols or formaldehyde but still strong. Werner Aisslinger’s ecofriendly Hemp Chair was displayed at the Milan Design Week 2011 at Ventura Lambrate’s exhibition called as ‘Poetry Happens’.
Hemp Mote
Modder Dhreck has modified the original Wii-mote and Nunchuk set used for the popular gaming console Nintendo Wii. Three kinds of 100 percent natural hemp string covered the fully functional Hemp Mote entirely and also the cables, buttons, etc. The internal components and the functionality were carefully preserved while the controllers were augmented. He pared off the hard white plastic until he reached the controllers, ensuring their safety. He then glued the hemp rope and layered them precisely without making it too bulky. The resultant Hemp-Mote is though fully functional, but is delicate and sweat absorbing. It is an appealing product for gamers who are also ecoconscious. Dhreck chose hemp as the natural fiber to work with as it is highly flexible.
Gruni hemp art
Italian artist Zoè Gruni, who currently resides in Los Angeles, creates various magnificent art forms that have been displayed in many renowned exhibitions worldwide. Instead of using traditional elements, she creates vivid, inimitable and unusual works of art out of hemp-based fabrics. Her one-of-a-kind hybrid figures draw inspiration from animal as well as a man’s body formation. The artist wants the viewers to understand how a man is connected with animals. Her weird hemp-based creations might not interest everyone, but they are sure to turn heads for sure.
