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So, how long until we get a proper hemp paper industry? As the legal issues wane, it seems like the only remaining obstacles to higher quality paper at a lower

So, how long until we get a proper hemp paper industry? As the legal issues wane, it seems like the only remaining obstacles to higher quality paper at a lower price are industrial process and marketing issues. Seems like an industry ripe for disruption.

JumpCrisscross 5y ago
> the only remaining obstacles to higher quality paper at a lower price are industrial process and marketing issues Why is hemp paper competitively lower priced and cheaper than normal paper? Could that also apply to cardboard?
- chana_masala 5y ago
  Probably the time investment. It takes a lot longer for trees to be ready for harvest.
Synaesthesia 5y ago
It still needs as much or more chemical processing as wood pulp, I'm not convinced it's that advantageous.
PeterisP 5y ago
IDK, in countries where industrial growing of (low-THC) hemp is a thing and hemp gets used for manufacturing products, it is not "higher quality paper at a lower price", it's still a niche product for specific uses (e.g. as cigarette paper) because it's not cheaper. IIRC growing/harvesting/processing of the fiber is quite similar to linen, and so the resulting product costs are comparable to linen cloth, not wood pulp paper; industrial hemp gets used in ropes and bags but gets only limited application as paper even if it's fully legal to try.
- rbanffy 5y ago
  High-THC cigarette paper would be a very successful product in a number of markets.
  - netizen-936824 5y ago
    There is almost no THC in hemp fiber to speak of. Any THC in papers would need to be added during manufacturing
    - rbanffy 5y ago
      I'm very sure some enterprising person will think of a way to do it ;-)
      - kasey_junk 5y ago
        You can get thc infused rolling papers. But most of them create the paper traditionally or with nationally legal hemp, then infuse them with thc extracts from completely different plants. That is to say, there is no correlation with hemp paper and thc infused paper. They come from different plants and as a consumer you want them to because the different plants can be specialized to their purpose.
        netizen-936824 5y ago
        This is actually why I like the hemp farm bill and the proliferation of cannabinoid isolates. I can now mix-n-match my cannabinoids to create different effects, its absolutely wonderful. I'm not beholden to any specific 'strain' or chemovar
h2odragon 5y ago
Processing hemp for fiber is an absolute bitch; and the market for the fibers isnt big enough to create a market for the processing equipment which could make the fiber cheaper and grow that market and... Dunno what might kick it off make it viable: new boll weevil, perhaps.

JumpCrisscross 5y ago

> the only remaining obstacles to higher quality paper at a lower price are industrial process and marketing issues Why is hemp paper competitively lower priced and cheaper than normal paper? Could that also apply to cardboard?

chana_masala 5y ago
Probably the time investment. It takes a lot longer for trees to be ready for harvest.

Synaesthesia 5y ago

It still needs as much or more chemical processing as wood pulp, I'm not convinced it's that advantageous.

PeterisP 5y ago

IDK, in countries where industrial growing of (low-THC) hemp is a thing and hemp gets used for manufacturing products, it is not "higher quality paper at a lower price", it's still a niche product for specific uses (e.g. as cigarette paper) because it's not cheaper. IIRC growing/harvesting/processing of the fiber is quite similar to linen, and so the resulting product costs are comparable to linen cloth, not wood pulp paper; industrial hemp gets used in ropes and bags but gets only limited application as paper even if it's fully legal to try.

rbanffy 5y ago
High-THC cigarette paper would be a very successful product in a number of markets.
- netizen-936824 5y ago
  There is almost no THC in hemp fiber to speak of. Any THC in papers would need to be added during manufacturing
  - rbanffy 5y ago
    I'm very sure some enterprising person will think of a way to do it ;-)
    - kasey_junk 5y ago
      You can get thc infused rolling papers. But most of them create the paper traditionally or with nationally legal hemp, then infuse them with thc extracts from completely different plants. That is to say, there is no correlation with hemp paper and thc infused paper. They come from different plants and as a consumer you want them to because the different plants can be specialized to their purpose.
      - netizen-936824 5y ago
        This is actually why I like the hemp farm bill and the proliferation of cannabinoid isolates. I can now mix-n-match my cannabinoids to create different effects, its absolutely wonderful. I'm not beholden to any specific 'strain' or chemovar

h2odragon 5y ago

Processing hemp for fiber is an absolute bitch; and the market for the fibers isnt big enough to create a market for the processing equipment which could make the fiber cheaper and grow that market and... Dunno what might kick it off make it viable: new boll weevil, perhaps.