The Budding Global Hemp Industry
Host, Casper Leitch, chats with leaders of the Global Hemp industry: Anndrea Hermann, Summer Star Haeske, Boris Banas, Greg Flavall, Chris Federowich, Tony Budden and Teri Wallace about the global hemp markets and their rapid growth.
Industrial Hemp Can Save The World
The speakers discuss the importance of proper use of various hemp varieties when planting in different parts of the world; ongoing trials on different plant strains; and the potential for new industries to emerge from hemp production. The group of speakers also celebrate the collaborative nature of the global hemp industry and the potential for growth in various markets around the world.
Overview
This episode dives into the global industrial hemp movement, showcasing expert voices from North America, Europe, South Africa, and New Zealand. The conversation emphasizes hemp’s sustainability, versatility, economic potential, and the collaborative spirit among its advocates.
Key Guest Spotlights
Summer Star Haeske - Enviro-Textiles: Enviro-Textiles offers 100+ hemp fabric types, supporting U.S. fashion brands. Educational deep-dive into hemp’s ribbon fiber structure and durability vs. cotton. Discusses gaps in U.S. processing infrastructure (e.g. needs for decorators). Importance of USDA’s Bio-Preferred certification: promotes transparency in Eco-friendly products.
Teri Wallace - Hemp Out & Hemp and Grain: Started “Hemp Out” as a female-led social movement. Educates consumers via social media about hemp’s role in food, health, and sustainability. With Hemp and Grain in Canada, she focuses on private-label hemp foods, nutritional consulting, and farmer-consumer integration. Offers advice on launching a hemp food brand: market research and regulatory compliance.
Tony Budden - Founder of Hemporium: Built Africa’s first hemp house, showcasing applications from clothing to construction. Navigates cannabis stigma and policy challenges in South Africa. Pushes for "commercial incubation research" on private and community farms. Advocates for building low-cost hemp housing to address poverty and unemployment.
Boris Baňas - Hemp-Seed Oil: Got involved after reading John Roulac’s hemp guidebook. Helped legalize industrial hemp farming in Slovakia via EU lobbying. Represents Hemp Oil Canada in Europe, importing high-quality food-grade hemp products. Developing germinated hemp seed food lines (oil, protein, flour) with unique nutritional benefits.
Greg Flavall – Hemp Technologies: Co-founded Hemp Technologies in the U.S., helped build the first permitted hemp house. Returned to New Zealand and started growing kompolti hemp for dual-purpose use. Discusses hempcrete: a sustainable, energy-efficient construction material. Building hemp houses in New Zealand at a lower cost than traditional construction. Describes navigating non-conventional building codes in various countries.
Hemp as a Multidimensional Crop
Food: seeds, oil, protein powders, and sprouted products.
Fiber/Textiles: durable, long-strand fibers used in apparel, upholstery, and industrial fabrics.
Building Materials: hempcrete, insulation, chipboard, sustainable housing.
Eco-Impact: low pesticide use, high yield, soil regeneration.
Industry Gaps And Challenges
Lack of processing infrastructure (especially in U.S. and parts of Africa). Difficulty accessing funding for decentralized processing equipment. Regulatory inconsistencies, especially in food standards and farming legality in all countries. The guests emphasize a non-competitive, abundance-driven model. Advocating for shared knowledge, open licensing, and community-based projects.
Industrial hemp offers solutions to modern problems, from climate change and housing to food security and sustainable clothing. The community of experts interviewed is united by the belief that hemp is the future, and they’re actively shaping that future through collaboration, education, and innovation.
