Kentucky may not be synonymous with hemp, yet!
It’s through no fault of its farmers who are trying to bring about a new boom in the state with the profitable crop and it’s thanks to the efforts of companies like Hempwood that all this hemp is needed, in the first place.
According to the Ministry of Hemp (not a real ministry), you can make an awful lot of products from hemp but one they didn’t consider was flooring.
That’s where Hempwood comes in, they’ve developed (in conjunction with Oregon State and Murray State universities) a way of transforming the plant fiber that is hemp into a wood composite and that makes it ideal for flooring.
Why Hemp?
Well, Greg Wilson, the CEO of Hempwood, told Cool Hunting that hemp makes sense in Kentucky where his company is based.
The state used to manufacture nearly 80% of all the hemp in America pre-regulation and now that it’s legal again, it’s coming back.
Hemp requires very little water to grow and it’s naturally resistant to pests and that means you don’t need to pour chemicals all over the crop in order for it to grow.
An acre of hemp reaches maturity in just 120 days when compared to an acre of oak trees which would take 100 years!
Hempwood Products
That means their products are environmentally friendly and completely sustainable.
They can be used for more than flooring too, they can be built into any non-structural use in the interior of buildings such as accent walls, furniture, and more.
They are also 100% made in the USA which means fewer miles to travel when shipping to customers.
The finished wood products are also stronger than hickory and the whole process from planting to production takes just 6 months.
In short, Hempwood makes gorgeous wood products that are great for the planet and for your home!
They’d be perfect for that home in the woods.