For all its recentness, did you know hemp was first brought to Australia by the colonizers? In fact, Australia was meant to be a hemp colony. But that’s just a theory.
Hemp was an integral part of warfare and sea voyage. However, in the 1930s, the cultivation of hemp was made illegal because the distinction between marijuana and hemp was hazy.
This might have been purposeful neglect. Because hemp fiber was considered a threat to competing fiber industries. So, in 1937, the cultivation of hemp was criminalized.
Legality Of Hemp In Australia
In 1998, the government started allowing certain farmers to cultivate hemp. But, this was strictly reserved for export.
It was only in 2017 that hemp was allowed for sale as a food product in Australia. Since then, the number of hemp farms has doubled.
With that, there has also been an increase in the number of hemp-related startups. Here are the top 10.
Top 10 Hemp Startups
This company was started in 2016 by a group of friends. Their collective passion was agriculture with a keen interest in developing a sustainable food source, leading them to the discovery of hemp. Today, it is one of Australia’s largest producers of hemp.
Australian Primary Hemp offers end-to-end customer service. They help customers select seeds, farm the hemp, and offer contract packaging services. They also have bulk and retail sales.
The company also has a food brand, called Mt Elephant. You can find hemp products like hemp seed oil, hemp flour, and hemp protein powder there. It also sells other flavors of protein powders and pancake mixes.
Australian Primary Hemp is working towards increasing awareness about the nutritional benefits of hemp. Its mission is to make hemp a pantry staple.
This company also sells hemp products, like hemp seeds and oils, in bulk.
After several career jumps Joe D’Alo landed at becoming a licensed builder. He had a successful construction business. But he soon realized the need for conscious building.
To him, this meant careful consideration of the design, using natural materials, and an emphasis on the health of the inhabitants. This led him to find hemp. Today, The Hemp Building Company is one of Australia’s leading hempcrete builders and educators.
The hemp and lime are used to make hemcrete. And these are made into bricks. The hemp fiber gives the bricks high flexibility, strength, and thermal power. Using these bricks will make your home more waterproof and soundproof.
It has also been noted that homes built with hemp survive for longer since hemp is resistant to mold and rot.
The Hemp Building Company offers various services. This includes consultation, education, raw material supply, and equipment hire.
And if you’d like to see the benefits of hempcrete for yourself on a small scale, they have an artisan sample kit. This will have enough material to make a small sculpture.
+Hemp is a brand started by a woman who personally experienced the benefits of hemp. Natalie Moubarak suffers from psoriasis. She saw that a concoction of hemp and moisturizer was the best remedy.
She then experimented with hemp in food and beverages. The brand came into existence in 2017, after hemp was legalized as a food ingredient in Australia.
+Hemp is flavored water that enhances your health and hydration. Organic hemp is added to the water, enriching it with Omega-3 and Omega-6 essential acids. These nutrients help in reducing inflammation and regulating blood pressure.
The medical benefits of hemp are extensive. It helps increase your immunity and your skin’s health. It is also rich in antioxidants.
By purchasing +Hemp, the company will donate 5% of profit per bottle to one of three charities of your choice.
- Seed Of Green
Launched in 2021, Seed Of Green is a skincare and beauty brand that uses hemp as its main ingredient.
Its sells hemp clay masks, hemp soaps, and bath bombs. The nutrients in hemp, like Omega-3 and Omega-6, are beneficial to the skin. The hemp seed oil also has the power to reduce wrinkles and is an excellent moisturizer.
There are also anti-oxidant properties in hemp. This will help detoxify your skin. Apart from using just natural ingredients, Seed of Green also uses eco-packaging. The packaging is biodegradable and non-toxic.
So by buying from Seed Of Green, you are giving yourself healthy skin and ensuring landfills aren’t overfilled.
Hemp Pet was started by two pet parents, Arthur and Sandra Wajs, and Nicole Sylvia, Arthur’s sister. The Wajs’s had a dog who was diagnosed with terminal skin cancer. She had only months left to live.
Then, they stumbled upon hemp seed oil and started administering it to their pet. They saw tremendous improvement in her condition. Though she eventually succumbed to the disease, the trio wanted the medical benefits of hemp to be experienced by more animals.
This led to the creation of HempPet. It is the first Australian-made hemp range for pets.
The company sells hemp treats, hemp supplements, and raw hemp seed oil for cats, dogs, and horses. HempPet does not use any genetically modified ingredients or harmful chemicals at any stage of production. Everything is completely natural.
HempPet also has an on-call veterinarian that can provide consultations. He can also answer any hemp-related questions.
Paul Benham, the owner of Sativa Skincare, has been closely associated with hemp since 1998. He created 9BAR, a hemp foods brand in 1998. In 2012, he founded Hemp Foods Australia and in 2014, he founded Elixinol, a CBD oil company.
Sativa Skincare was founded in 2016. Paul worked with a team of skincare experts to make these products. They realized that hemp seed oil can provide excellent benefits to the skin.
Everything sold by Sativa Skincare is Aussie-made and completely organic in a bid to eliminate using chemicals on the skin.
The hemp seed oil contains more essential fatty acids than any other oil. Its composition of oils is identical to that of human skin, making absorption of the oil much more efficient. It also has the power to resist signs of aging and reduce inflammation.
Sativa Skincare also uses other superfood extracts. These include native Australian finger limes, Australian lemon myrtle, and copaiba oil. The product line-up includes deodorant, moisturizer, shampoo, and lip balm.
NUMBAT Australia was born in 2018 with an idea to craft an eco-friendly clothing range. Realizing the benefits of hemp clothing led them to another thought; hemp as a natural superfood.
Since then, the brand has expanded the range to include hemp health and body care products as well. This includes hemp moisturizer, bath salts, cleansing bars, and deodorant.
Hemp fiber is one of the most sustainable clothing materials that can keep up with fast-fashion trends. The fabric is durable, absorbent, anti-microbial, and soft. This makes it a better fabric than organic cotton.
NUMBAT Australia sources its hemp from Nepal and employs Himalayan artisans. They hand make every product. This gives the end result a unique touch.
This brand has a wide range of products, including clothing, footwear, hats, backpacks, accessories, and health & body care.
Hello, Hemp was started in 2017 as a healthy alternative to the coffee we consume today. The founder, Nathan, began his research in Colorado, U.S..
Here, he saw the benefits of hemp firsthand.
The brand came out with the first hemp coffee in Australia. The first product was hemp espresso. But soon, Hello Hemp released hemp hot chocolate, matcha, and latte powders that can be mixed with milk.
Hemp is rich in antioxidants, protein, omegas, and amino acids and is linked to improved heart health and healthier skin. Hello, Hemp drinks have no added sugar in them. This makes them a healthy alternative to your everyday coffee.
Hello, Hemp is available for wholesale and is sold by retailers across Australia.
This company was started by Johan Tijssen. His goal was to increase the performance of building materials. Hemp Block Australia is the maker of the country’s first carbon-negative load-bearing hempcrete blocks.
Using hemp blocks is an advantage in many ways. It is a sustainable building material that improves the longevity of the building. Using hemp also lessens the construction time, building operating cost, and carbon emission.
Since hemp is resistant to rot and mould, homeowners will not have to spend time and money re-touching their house. It is a better insulation and sound-proofing material than generic ones. Hemp also has the ability to retain heat and block UV rays, making it healthy for the inhabitants.
HBA offers architectural, engineering, and logistics & technical support services. It is also a supplier of two types of hemp blocks – load-bearing and masonry.
This brand seeks to create modern clothing with the world’s oldest natural fiber. Hemp.
Hemp is a durable fiber. Hemp Clothing Australia takes advantage of this property by not assigning seasons on any of their clothing.
Every piece made is timeless. So it can be worn for a long time without going out of style. This cuts down the amount of fashion waste.
Hemp fabric has various merits that make it the perfect choice for your wardrobe. It is breathable and insulating. It is also naturally antibacterial and has excellent moisture-wicking and odour-resisting capabilities.
Hemp Clothing Australia believes hemp belongs in everybody’s wardrobes. This brand is one of the first in Australia that makes hemp school uniforms. Its durability makes it the perfect fabric to dress children in.
The brand also makes a range of clothing for men and women, including shirts, t-shirts, and pants. It also makes hemp socks and bed linen.
These are just the top 10. Australia has plenty more hemp-related companies that are keen on increasing awareness about the benefits of hemp. These include hemp food, medicines, and clothing companies.
Sources: https://www.businessnewsaustralia.com/articles/australia-s-top-20-cannabis-companies.html
