Skip to content
Contact
Wide hemp field in evening light under a cloudy sky

Theme 03

Industrial hemp & sustainability

Industrial hemp is enjoying its well-deserved renaissance worldwide.

Bio-based raw material

Hemp will be one of the decisive bio-based raw materials of the future

Hemp will be one of the decisive bio-based raw materials of the future, because it offers sustainable answers to today's global crises.

Hemp leaves against a soft, light background

Raw material

From field to industry

Industrial hemp refers to hemp varieties with a very low THC content that are grown for fibre, seed and oil. In Germany and the EU, only approved varieties with a maximum of 0.3 per cent THC are permitted.

One plant yields fibres for textiles, insulation and composites, hurds for building materials such as hempcrete, seeds for food and oils, and biomass for cellulose and bioplastics.

On the stock market, industrial hemp is mainly represented by suppliers, agricultural and consumer goods companies. The ETF page shows which areas CanSoul covers.

To the ETF

Industry segments

Eight industry segments

  1. 01 Medical cannabis Global wave of legalisation
  2. 02 Superfood Proteins and oils
  3. 03 Ecological building materials Insulation and hempcrete
  4. 04 Sustainable natural fibre Hemp instead of cotton
  5. 05 CBD infused Lifestyle and healthcare
  6. 06 Technical oils and surfactants Bioplastics instead of plastic
  7. 07 Alternative source of cellulose Enormous recyclability
  8. 08 Composite materials e.g. the body of the Lotus Eco Elise

Figures

Industrial hemp is a raw material for thousands of products

  • more than 50,000

    products in which hemp is already processed today

  • 8

    industry segments from superfood to composites

  • up to 15tonnes

    of CO₂ captured by one hectare of hemp – as much as a young forest, but in just five months

  • plus 84%

    growth in EU hemp production from 2015 to 2022

Source for CO₂ storage and hemp production: European Commission, Directorate-General for Agriculture (data up to 2022).

Sustainable, ecological and innovative

Why hemp

  • One of the fastest-growing plants on earth

  • Regional cultivation possible – short transport routes

  • Complete use of the plant

    • Optimal CO₂ sequestration in biomass

    • Pest-resistant without pesticides

    • Revitalisation of agricultural land

    • Significantly more cellulose than forests

    • Supports global nutrition goals – vegan protein

Cannabis plants outdoors, densely packed in sunlight

Renaissance

Industrial hemp is enjoying its well-deserved renaissance worldwide.