Crowdfunding Campaigns Focus on Hemp, Helping Others

Hemp was once used in so many ways it was even required to be grown in the early colonial days of the United States. George Washington grew hemp. During World War II, an incentive program provided US farmers an opportunity to grow hemp to provide fibers for the production of canvas used by the military. For millennia, hemp enjoyed a fruitful life as one of the most versatile fibers on the planet, used for food, textiles, paper and more.

This was not lost on the following Crowdfunding hopefuls — they are each using, or have used, hemp to help communities around the world grow and learn about everything the plant has to offer.

The Hemp Craft (THC)

The Hemp Craft has created a backpack made of hemp, called TashiPack. Brothers Jugal and Rahul Mistry of Mumbai, India, named the backpack for the Tibetan word “tashi,” which means auspicious, or having signs of future success. The brothers traveled to Nepal and became familiar with the hemp farmers. When they returned from their travels, they wanted to create a product that helped protect the livelihood of the small hemp-farming communities. The brothers’ three main goals are: to revive the hemp industry, to use only sustainable products and to educate hemp farmers. Proceeds from backpack sales will help them accomplish these goals. The crowdfunding campaign ends Tuesday, April 17, 2018, but Jugal Mistry told Marijuana.com that the brothers intend to make the backpacks available on their website, regardless of whether their crowdfunding goal is reached. You can support the brothers’ mission at Indiegogo.com.

Bohempia

Bohempia is an apparel brand in Czech Republic’s capital, Prague, that creates shoes, clothing and textiles out of hemp. As its website puts it, “Hemp is an ecologically produced, sustainable, biodegradable material, which is also very strong, antibacterial and comfortable to wear.” In December, the company reached 248 percent of its Indiegogo goal, raising $38,887 to launch its Spring 2018 collection, which includes hemp shoes and T-shirts. Those interested in purchasing hemp goods from Bohempia can do so through Indiegogo or its eShop. Bohempia products are vegan-friendly.

Hemp Blue

Hemp Blue is a Los Angeles, California-based company that used Kickstarter to help its mission: to spread the word about the benefits of hemp. The project had 354 backers and raised more than $29,000. CEO Robin Lane makes the company’s beliefs clear: Industrial hemp has value in the United States and deserves to be legally grown across the country.

While the 2014 Farm Bill provided protection for industrial hemp grown for research purposes, hemp for grown for commercial reasons is not a federally protected crop. Many states allow for hemp cultivation, but the country has a long way to go in terms of promoting production on a national level. Hemp Blue materials are sourced from Italy, Japan and Thailand.

Continue reading at Marijuana.com

About Marijuana.com

Marijuana.com is the leading cannabis-related message forum and news site for in-depth, comprehensive cannabis strain and product education, marijuana media, growshop information and pricing. Marijuana.com has been in operation since 1995 and is owned and operated by Weedmaps.com, the most widely used medical and recreational marijuana dispensary locator in the industry.