One of the most impressive, resilient, respected, and versatile plants in the world is the hemp plant. Hemp is not only a staple in the vegan and vegetarian world, but it is also a valuable plant in the industrial world. In fact, according to the North American Industrial Hemp Council (NAIHC) more than 25,000 products can be made from hemp. The NAIHC also published the following interesting facts about hemp:
*Henry Ford experimented with hemp to build car bodies. He wanted to build and fuel cars from farm products.
*BMW is experimenting with hemp materials in automobiles as part of an effort to make cars more recyclable.
*Much of the birdseed sold in the US has hemp seed (it’s sterilized before importation), the hulls of which contain about 25% protein.
*Hemp oil once greased machines. Most paints, resins, shellacs, and varnishes used to be made out of linseed (from flax) and hemp oils.
*Rudolph Diesel designed his engine to run on hemp oil.
*Kimberly Clark (on the Fortune 500) has a mill in France, which produces hemp paper preferred for bibles because it lasts a very long time and doesn’t yellow.
*Construction products such as medium density fiberboard, oriented strand board, and even beams, studs and posts could be made out of hemp. Because of hemp’s long fibers, the products will be stronger and/or lighter than those made from wood.
So, what does all of this have to do with earth friendly cosmetics bags? Plenty. Hemp bags are actually one of the most popular types of earth friendly cosmetics bags (and bags in general) in the world.
Native to Asia, hemp is a plant with tough fibers. The fibers are obtained from the stems and are used to make rope, paper, cloth, and you guessed it bags, particularly canvas bags. Earth friendly cosmetics bags made from hemp can be either 100 percent organic of non-organic, but these types of bags are always cruelty free and 100 percent vegan.
Earth friendly cosmetic bags such as hemp bags can be found at just about any vegan grocer, health food stores, Whole Foods, and online. Some of the most recognized names in the hemp bag business include Earth Diva, Artisan Gear, Sativa, and Simple Shoes. While these are some of the top makers of hemp bags, clothes, and accessories, they are not the only ones. If prefer a larger variety to choose from, simple use your favorite search engine to locate “hemp bag” manufacturers around the world. Your search may also return a number of other eco-friendly bag manufacturers that use materials other than hemp. Good luck!