8 November 2024
 Today, the Austrian cross-border project "Alpenhanf 360°" (translated: Alpine Hemp 360°), which connected researchers and businesses from Austria, South Tyrol, Germany, Italy, Switzerland across the ARGE-ALP area over three years, from November 3, 2021, to November 3, 2024, provided an overview of the activities - including the impact on the textile and clothing industry - as well as the outlook for hemp cultivation in the Alps and the ongoing research into new materials and products from the plant. Even though the main project is now completed, hemp innovation continues at the new GROWNlab of the University of Innsbruck, Tyrol, which received start-up funding to build on the technological advances of the project. Tyrol's State Councilor Mario Gerber praised "Alpenhanf 360°" as a model for sustainable regional growth, emphasizing how locally-sourced resources can both support the economy and help protect the environment. Hemp flowers serve the cosmetics industry, seeds and nuts are used in food products (e.g. hemp oil, protein-rich superfood), and its fibers have technical uses, such as composites for skis and ski poles, textiles, and paper. The woody core of the hemp stem, known as shives, is also valuable for making building materials such as bricks and plaster. Fashion.at looked through the report on standort-tirol.at, where a chapter is about the history and outlook of hemp usage in textiles, such as the important role hemp played throughout history until it was largely replaced by synthetic fibers in the 1950s, or that the production of hemp textiles is currently a niche due to material costs and limited processing facilities. On the other hand, there is a growing consumer demand for sustainable, natural fibers. The Alpenhanf 360° project brochure can be found at the same URL as above. Among the highlighted projects in the field of textiles and clothing are, for example, the vegan leather company Revoltech, the house shoe brand Gottstein or Salewa, which has integrated hemp lyocell into mountain sports clothing: Revoltech - "Made with LOVR" (Vegan Leather from Regional Hemp Waste). Revoltech has developed LOVR, a vegan leather alternative made exclusively from plant materials and regional hemp waste, free of petroleum-based ingredients. This biodegradable material emits nearly zero carbon emissions compared to traditional leather production, in line with sustainable, circular economic practices. Gottstein - Felting and Fulling with Hemp. Known for their natural wool house shoes, Gottstein conducted experiments in felting and fulling with Tyrolean hemp. Trials with 50% hemp fiber blends resulted in high strength felts, ideal for structural elements such as protectors. This reflects the natural philosophy of the company, which has long held the belief - by referencing Charles Darwin - that "anything against nature cannot last". Salewa - Winter Hemp and Hemp-Lyocell Insulation Study. Salewa tested the insulating properties of hemp fibers for mountain sports using German NFC fibers and Lenzing's Hemp-Lyocell blend in collaboration with Imbotex. Field tests showed that the hemp-Lyocell insulation was odor resistant and maintained body temperature well, confirming hemp's potential for performance wear in extreme conditions. The report "Alpine Hemp 360°" highlights the natural advantages of the Alpine region for hemp. Industrial hemp is ideally suited to this environment - it thrives up to 1,500 meters above sea level. Hemp requires minimal soil preparation, no pesticides or chemical fertilizers, and can improve soil health, absorb CO2, and support biodiversity. In addition, the industrial hemp plant offers significant economic opportunities for farmers and a chance for new business models for local companies, according to the project report. Image: Visual of the Alpenhanf 360° project, which ran from November 3, 2021 to November 3, 2024. Photo: © Standortagentur Tirol / AV-Media Productions GmbH. |
|
|