Building the Future of Biobased Infrastructure
As communities across the Mountain West face increased pressure from climate variability, land degradation, and material costs, the need for sustainable erosion and sediment control solutions has never been more critical. At the 2025 IECA Mountain States Conference, IND HEMP will showcase its newest advancements in hemp fiber–based erosion control blankets, wattles, and hydromulch materials—natural alternatives that align performance with regenerative impact.
At the core of IND HEMP’s construction materials initiative is a simple premise: replacing imported, petroleum-based, and synthetic materials with regional, renewable fiber grown and processed in Montana. This local circular model offers environmental resilience, market stability, and new economic opportunity for farmers and industry partners.
Hemp in the Built Environment: Performance and Purpose
Industrial hemp fiber is rapidly emerging as a high-performance, biodegradable input for erosion and sediment control applications. With its natural tensile strength, hydrophilic surface, and slow biodegradation rate, hemp provides both structural and ecological benefits in ground-cover systems.
IND HEMP’s fiber—marketed under the Montana Gold™ brand—has demonstrated impressive results in multiple applications, including:
- Erosion control blankets and hydromulch blends for slope stabilization
- Sediment control wattles and silt fences for construction runoff
- Landscaping and commercial use as biodegradable weed barrier mulch mats, tree rings, and garden squares
These products replace coir and jute fibers—traditionally sourced from Asia and increasingly affected by tariffs and freight costs—with a domestic, traceable, and regenerative alternative.
Proven Performance: From Minnesota to Montana
A major milestone in hemp’s journey into civil infrastructure came through field trials conducted by the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) and the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). These studies, which evaluated hemp fiber within erosion control blankets, demonstrated that hemp holds its own against conventional natural fibers, showing comparable moisture retention, tensile strength, and functional longevity.
“Industrial hemp holds its own for erosion control,” reported AURI in 2024, confirming hemp’s viability in MnDOT Category 3 blanket specifications.
IND HEMP’s Montana-grown fiber was used in these trials—reinforcing not only the product’s technical merit but also the potential for regional scalability within public and private construction sectors. With data-driven validation, IND HEMP is now expanding testing protocols across the Mountain States, drawing on MnDOT methodologies and ASTM standards (TRI Labs, Texas/Carolinas).
Image: Performance properties of IND HEMP’s EC346 erosion control blanket, tested to ASTM and ECTC standards for strength, absorption, and biodegradability.
Collaboration Drives Innovation: The IND HEMP Ecosystem
At the heart of IND HEMP’s market development strategy is collaboration—bridging farmers, processors, manufacturers, and distributors. Recent strategic meetings leading into IECA 2025 identified several key partnerships and initiatives:
- IND HEMP’s project’s are spearheading state-level outreach with engineers, developers, and DOT contacts to align specifications for hemp-based erosion control products.
- Terrefiber (Canada), IND HEMP’s manufacturing partner, are producing 100% bio-based erosion control blankets and wattles using Montana Gold fiber—meeting the same ASTM performance standards as their existing product line, but with zero plastic netting.
These collaborations mark steps toward building a regional supply network that can serve both public-sector civil engineering projects and private-sector land management needs.
Strategic Focus: The Construction Category
Within IND HEMP’s broader market strategy, the Construction Category encompasses applications that intersect environmental management, infrastructure, and regenerative agriculture. Based on internal development frameworks, IND HEMP’s erosion control product roadmap includes Phase I marketing and manufacturing readiness, into Phase II which focuses on distribution and market launch.
This multi-tiered plan is designed to transition from early-stage validation into commercial scale adoption by mid-2026.
Toward a Plastic-Free Future
One of the strongest drivers for innovation in erosion control today is the shift away from plastic netting. California led the charge through Caltrans’ ban on plastic netting in erosion control blankets, with other states quickly following. Hemp provides an elegant solution—natural, biodegradable, and locally sourced, supporting environmental mandates while maintaining functional durability.
At IECA 2025, IND HEMP will present this next generation of bio-based, plastic-free erosion control systems—made from Montana fiber, manufactured by Terrefiber, and designed for circular performance.
Image: IND HEMP’s brand Montana Gold hemp fiber erosion control blanket.
Goals for the Mountain States Initiative
Leading into IECA 2025, IND HEMP’s Mountain States engagement will focus on six key goals:
- Demonstrate hemp fiber’s performance and versatility through certified blanket and wattle products.
- Engage with architects, contractors, and DOT engineers to establish pilot projects across the region.
- Build awareness of hemp’s cost and environmental advantages amid rising coir tariffs.
- Expand partnerships with distributors and testing facilities to streamline adoption.
- Promote regional manufacturing and farmer participation to enhance local economic resilience.
- Showcase Montana leadership in biobased innovation and soil restoration.
These objectives align with IND HEMP’s broader mission—to integrate hemp into systems that restore ecosystems, strengthen communities, and reduce dependence on imported materials.
Visit IND HEMP at IECA 2025
Join the IND HEMP team at IECA Mountain States 2025 to explore the future of biobased erosion control. Discover our Montana Gold™ line of erosion control blankets and wattles—crafted from 100% hemp fiber, biodegradable, and performance-tested to meet industry standards.
Together, we can reshape how infrastructure interacts with nature—replacing extraction with regeneration, and waste with circular value.
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