Hemp Plastic Products: What Can Be Made from Hemp Bioplastic?

You probably already know that every season, India burns millions of tonnes of plant and leaf residue. 

But that waste can and is being used as a feedstock. By purifying the cellulose and blending it with high-performance biopolyesters, we can convert farm residue into hemp bioplastic products.

This hemp resin can run on ordinary plastic lines. And also solve our plastic problem, if done correctly with compostable bioplastic. 

So the first thing to understand is that most hemp plastic products are not plastic made out of hemp in the way paper is made out of wood. 

They are one of two things:

• A conventional or bio-based polymer (PLA, PBAT, PP, etc.) that is reinforced with hemp fibre or hemp cellulose, or
• A bio-based polymer system where hemp is broken down into sugars, fermented and converted into monomers to be polymerised.

This can change what you can make and how it performs. 

Currently, there are multiple consumer and industrial products made from hemp plastic, in one of the two ways, on the market.

Which products can you replace with hemp bioplastic?

Most hemp plastic products have rigid parts. You will not find thin films or high-barrier food packaging made from hemp bioplastic. This is because hemp’s strengths show up best in non-flexible applications:

• stiffness and shape retention
• tactile, natural finish
• branding value of bio-content
• reduced use of virgin polymer

Here are some hemp plastic products that are common in the market today.

Consumer Durable Goods 

As you might have guessed, hemp fibres in bioplastic work well in consumer goods that need stiffness and a good surface finish more than extreme flexibility.

The products’ surface finish can look premium without heavy coatings and mechanical demands are also moderate. This gives consumers a clear “feel” difference versus normal plastic. 

Some popular hemp bioplastic products you can buy online in most countries are:

• phone cases and laptop shells
• sunglasses frames and accessories
• straws and cutlery
• reusable containers and organisers
• stationery items and small household parts (hooks, holders, covers)

Source 

Automotive and Mobility Interiors 

Automotive interior panels have used natural fibres for years across the industry. Hemp is again of value here because of its weight reduction and noise damping benefits in some composite structures.

Some examples are:

• door panels and door trims
• parcel shelves / rear shelf boards
• dashboard carrier layers (in some designs)
• seat-back panels and trunk liners

These are usually PP or bio-based polymer matrices reinforced with hemp/kenaf/flax fibres.

3D Printing Filaments and Prototyping Materials

Hemp filled filament is another common consumer item.

Unlike traditional 3D printing filament, hemp adds a natural matte texture and helps hide layer lines. 

But hemp filled filament does not always guarantee a biodegradable or compostable end product.

Source 

Rigid Packaging Component

Hemp bioplastic is also used in rigid packaging such as:

• cosmetic jars and caps
• secondary packaging components
• closures, scoops, dispensers

These products help with brand image and cut down on virgin plastic use.

Construction Materials

Hemp is well known in construction through hemp-lime composite materials. But specifically for hemp bioplastic (hemp fibre/cellulose in a polymer). 

The most realistic construction uses are non-structural, low-heat parts that benefit from stiffness and finish:

• cable trunking, clips, and conduit accessories
• skirting and profile trims (profile extrusion)
• interior wall panels / decorative boards (hemp composite sheet)
• HVAC vent covers and low-stress housings

How are hemp plastic products made?

At Hemp Foundation, we use hemp as our material base and build biopolymer formats that can run across film extrusion, moulding, thermoforming, coatings, and additives.

But there are other ways hemp can be used to make bioplastic. 

Hemp is a plant that gives you fibres and cellulose-rich biomass. Those are valuable inputs. But they still need a polymer system to become something you can mould, extrude, thermoform, or seal.

By understanding how hemp is combined with a biopolymer, you can predict what it can be made into and how it will behave.

Hemp fibre reinforcement

Using hemp fibre as a reinforcement is the most common way to make hemp plastic.

We take a base polymer (bio-based or conventional), and add chopped hemp fibre or hemp hurds derived fibres to improve stiffness and reduce polymer content.

It works because: 

• Hemp fibres are strong for their weight
• They can improve rigidity and dimensional stability
• They create a natural matte finish that many consumer brands like.

But fibres don’t bond well to polymers well. So manufacturers often add:

• compatibilisers (to help fibre-polymer bonding)
• impact modifiers (because stiffness can increase brittleness)
• processing aids (for smoother flow and fewer defects)

Hemp cellulose as a functional filler

Hemp cellulose can also be used as a functional filler for controlled properties.

Here hemp is processed into more refined cellulose forms.

Refined cellulose can act as a functional filler that changes feel, opacity, barrier behaviour, and processing stability.

These microcellulose or nanocellulose help add:

• stiffness without too much weight
• surface texture and printability
• moisture management (depending on formulation and coating)

Hemp as chemical feedstock

Another option is to use hemp biomass as feedstock for bio-based chemistry. But this is rarely used commercially.

This is the way people imagine when they think of plastic made from hemp. Conceptually, you can break down cellulose into sugars and convert those into monomers, which then become polymers.

But, practically, this is harder to scale because it needs:

• consistent feedstock quality
• chemical/biochemical conversion infrastructure
• cost competitiveness against existing polymer supply chains

So you will see research and pilots here, but most in-market hemp bioplastic products today are fibre/cellulose-enhanced polymer systems.

Once you have a formulated compound, you convert it into pellets or granules. Then you can run it through standard processes depending on the grade:

• blown film extrusion (bags, liners, films)
• injection moulding (caps, cutlery, casings)
• thermoforming (trays, lids)
• extrusion coating (coated paper applications)
• profile extrusion (rigid shapes)

But a resin that works in moulding does not automatically work in blown film, and vice versa.

What other products can be made from hemp plastic?

Hemp plastic can be used to make or replace a ton of other consumer products.

Office, education, and institutional products are often overlooked. But it is a natural fit. Items like pens and pen bodies, rulers, scales, ID card holders, and badge frames are some simple products that can be made from hemp plastic. 

Other home and personal-care accessories like combs, brushes, soap trays, toothbrush handles, razor handles are other easy switches. More examples are keychains, tags and hangers. 

Housings and casings in appliances and electronics including low-heat appliance covers and set-top box casings are also viable. 

Here is an overview of products that can use hemp plastic as raw material and their market availability today.

Overall, hemp bioplastic uses are strongest in rigid, non-barrier products where stiffness and surface finish matter most. 

FAQs

1. What can hemp plastic be used for?

Most hemp plastic products suit rigid products and parts like cases, caps, and panels.

2. Can you make biodegradable plastic from hemp?

Yes, but hemp is usually a fibre or cellulose additive inside another polymer. Whether it’s biodegradable or compostable depends on the base resin and certification to standards like ISO 17088, ASTM D6400, or EN 13432.

3. What can hemp plastic replace?

Hemp plastic can replace or reduce petroleum plastics in rigid, non-barrier parts in consumer or industrial goods.