Similarity of perspectives and problems in the use of hemp fiber in the USA and Ukraine
Agricultural producers do not want to grow a plant for the production of hemp fiber, since they do not have a sales market, and mass processors do not want to build processing plants if they are not sure that farmers are not ready to produce raw materials in sufficient quantities, and among other things they are unsure of a market in which they can sell hemp textiles, knitwear or footwear in sufficient quantities.
One of the highlights of the first day of training for 5th year students of the "Hemp University" is the round table "Hemp fiber - problems and prospects of its use in Ukraine". To understand the processes taking place in this sector of the modern hemp market, the editors of the specialized electronic publication of Ukrainian cannabis growers turned to the specialists of the information and analytical platform Hemp Consulting for clarifications on which issues will be considered during the above round table. Without disclosing the details of the event, a brief analysis of a similar US market was provided, and it was emphasized that problems similar to American cannabis growing are typical for national enterprises operating in this sector of the economy.
For decades, the US apparel sector has had a small funding and rather limited market for fiber and industrial hemp products. Although hemp fiber footwear, textiles and knitwear are characterized as extremely durable products, hemp products have until recently been characterized by consumers as prickly and uncomfortable, most of which “have not evolved since the 1960s.” The situation changed dramatically after the adoption of changes to the current US legislation in 2018. The surge in demand for products containing plant cannabinoids, as well as hemp products themselves, has sparked a growing national interest in the United States in products made from hemp fiber. That is why individual think tanks, as well as a number of American consulting companies, expect that the production of hemp fiber, as well as products from it, will eventually turn into another dynamically developing multi-billion dollar industry in the most highly developed country in the world.
Currently, the market for hemp fiber in the United States is small, but over the past few years, there has been a trend towards its rapid growth. In particular, imports of unprocessed hemp fibers into the country more than doubled between 2018 and 2019, at $ 131,644 and $ 330,252, respectively, according to the US Department of Commerce's Office of Textiles and Apparel.
Interest in the promotion of hemp products by major brands
Selected global American clothing and footwear brands have already joined the US hemp movement. For example, in 2019, the management of the denim giant Levi Strauss announced that the company will use blended fabrics (cotton and hemp) for the production of its products. In particular, the company's vice president of product innovation Paul Dillinger, in a press release, points out that “We know that hemp is good for the environment, but it has always seemed rough to the consumer, causing some discomfort during its use. For the first time, we can offer our customers products that contain hemp fiber, which are as pleasant to tactile sensations as products made from cotton. " In August 2020, another sportswear multinational Nike launched a limited edition hemp sneaker in the UK.
Creation of production chains
US companies are investing in hemp fiber processing infrastructure in hopes of building a viable field-to-counter supply chain. In early September 2020, Texas-based Panda Biotech announced the creation of the nation's largest hemp straw processing facility / trusts in the United States. The venture, which is due to start operations next year and reach its maximum production capacity in 2022, "will be the first company in the country to produce hemp yarn on an industrial scale for the American textile industry and export clients," according to a press release.
Another Californian importer and wholesaler of hemp fiber products (in the market for over 25 years), Hemp Traders announced in early September a new line of hemp knitted fabrics to be produced and dyed in Southern California. The company's press release focuses on the growing customer demand for American-made hemp fabrics. According to Hemp Traders President Lawrence Serbin, “Making hemp fabrics in the United States is not only helping the American hemp industry gain a larger market share and making hemp fiber textiles and knitwear more affordable. The production of hemp fabrics in the United States implies their lower price compared to the currently imported imports from China. ”
Hemp fiber strength - advantage or problem
Hemp fibers have been used for centuries to make footwear, textiles or knitwear. Despite this, technologies for processing hemp plant fibers to make comfortable and wearable products for the mass market are relatively recent. It is generally known that hemp fibers are the most durable of natural fabrics. They contain a high percentage of lignin (a natural component that binds hemp fibers together), which makes untreated hemp fibers stiff and less flexible than other plant-based fibers. On the other hand, the high lignin content can make hemp fabrics desirable in the fashion industry due to their extremely good "drape" ie. of how the folds of the hemp fabric hang / fall / fall.
The most common way to remove lignin from hemp fiber is to put the raw fiber in a sodium hydroxide solution (caustic soda or lye) dissolved in water and bring this solution to a boil at high temperatures to melt the lignin. This kind of processing allows the fibers to be separated from each other, further creating thinner yarn, from which the final product is subsequently produced. Unlike cotton (which has relatively short fibers, but approximately the same length), hemp fibers can be either short or long. The natural length of hemp fibers implies their strength, which is critical for the production of footwear, certain types of knitwear and textiles.
Conclusions : At the moment, the United States is still far from having a complete and developed supply chain of hemp fiber “from field to counter” due to the unused infrastructure and lack of necessary equipment in the country. This situation, among other things, leads to the fact that agricultural producers do not want to grow a plant for the production of hemp fiber, since they do not have a sales market, and mass processors do not want to build processing plants if they do not have confidence that farmers they are not ready to produce raw materials in sufficient quantities and, among other things, they are not sure of the market in which they will be able to sell hemp textiles, knitwear or footwear in sufficient quantities. It should be borne in mind that the cotton industry in the United States receives huge subsidies from the federal budget, which automatically puts this sector of the economy in a privileged position over the industries specializing in the use of hemp fiber. Despite this, hemp fiber products have a place in the US mass consumer market.
Commentary of experts of the Association "Ukrainian technical hemp"
Similar to the American ones, the problems of the absence of a formed market for the sale of hemp fiber, as well as scanty sales of hemp textiles and knitwear on the territory of our country will be one of the issues discussed during the round table "Hemp fiber - problems and prospects for its use in Ukraine", which will be held within the framework of the first day of training of the 5th graduation student of the "Hemp University".