The seventh annual NoCo Hemp Expo took place March 25 to 27 in Denver, CO. This event provided a plethora of opportunities to showcase IND HEMP seeds, oil, protein and fiber as well as network with others in the hemp industry.
Over 240 exhibitors and 125 speakers offered information about hemp and construction, economics, carbon sequestration, paper, soil health and much more. With more than 6,000 people attending the event over three days, the NoCo Hemp Expo was a prime location to educate people about hemp and learn about what others are accomplishing in this industry.
Construction and Building Industry
An exciting opportunity within the hemp industry is hemp building material. Hempitecture is one company dedicated to bringing novel ideas to the world of construction. By using hemp materials in the construction process, like hemp wool for insulation and a hempcrete binder, Hempitecture offers sustainable materials that are healthier for humans and better for the environment.
Hempitecture booth at the NoCo Hemp Expo shows off their hempcrete and hemp insulation building materials. Photo by Matthew Farson.
Other companies are using hemp product to build furniture, flooring and cabinets for homes and offices. According to the HempWood website, their goal is to make hemp a practical alternative to wood. Using hemp rather than lumber benefits the environment and limits deforestation while providing another income source for farmers. A big thanks to our friends in Kentucky at HempWood for building our IND HEMP display shelves!
Fiber and Textiles
Fiber, another use of hemp, is IND HEMP’s next project with their fiber decortication facility opening summer 2021. Formation Ag is one company that has already been working in the fiber industry with small-scale decortication equipment that works best for smaller farmers. Recently featured in a short film by Patagonia, this Colorado-based company provides the equipment necessary for hemp fiber harvesting, processing, and decortication.
Hemp fiber formed into shapes to showcase the versatility of hemp fiber. Photo by Matthew Farson.
Another hemp fiber company, EnviroTextiles, uses hemp product to create fabric such as the fabric used on furniture. While the company is located in Colorado, their fabric stock comes from China, Romania, Eastern Europe, and Mexico. Sustainable, natural, and eco-friendly, EnviroTextiles provides fiber for clothing, furniture, bath and personal products, and construction materials.
Oil and Grain
Beyond fiber, another company at the NoCo Hemp Expo working with fiber and grain is Horizon Hemp Seeds, a South Dakota based company working to provide reliable and consistent certified seed product. Healthy Oilseeds in North Dakota also provide high-quality flax, hemp, and borage products. This family owned company desires to be a long-term partner for others in this industry.
Hemp oil on display at the expo. Photo by Matthew Farson.
Partnerships between companies is a great way to work together to further the opportunities of industrial hemp; IND HEMP is a proud partner of the Hemp Feed Coalition. This organization partners with others in the hemp industry to make the necessary changes that will allow hemp to become a legal animal feed ingredient, providing opportunities to improve animal health while also offering another industry for industrial hemp farmers.
The NoCo Hemp Expo connected proponents of the industrial hemp industry with other likeminded individuals. Sharing knowledge and supporting each other is crucial to furthering the hemp industry and delving deeper into the benefits of the hemp plant. Thank you from IND HEMP to everyone who connected with us at the expo!