Chiron Organic Hemp Products

Hemp is one of the oldest and most versatile crops. For millennia hemp was an indispensable raw material for the production of ropes, paper, textiles and pharmaceuticals. Until the mid-19th century, hemp was even the most widely grown crop in the world. Calling the hemp plant by its Latin name ”cannabis“ awakens very different associations, though. In case of cannabis, many people tend to think of hippies in Woodstock or coffee shops in Amsterdam, because the consumption of parts of the female hemp plant can have an intoxicating effect. Responsible for this is the active ingredient tetrahydrocannabinol, better known as THC. The THC content is one of the major distinguishing features within the different hemp varieties. Generally, a distinction is made between plants for the production of drugs and intoxicants and the so-called industrial hemp. Industrial hemp has a negligible THC content and no intoxicating effect. It is grown mainly for the edible seeds and hemp fibers.

Some researchers assume that hemp has been cultivated already more than 8,000 years ago in Persia and China. The seeds were processed into flour and oil or eaten pure. Hemp had another advantage: Clothes could be made of the fibers of the hemp raffia. The first textiles made of hemp were probably already worn 2.800 BC in China. The Greek historian Herodotus reported 450 BC that there were garments made of hemp fibers in the Mediterranean. Hemp fibers are coarser and more robust than flax, nettle or wool. In Europe, the fibers of the hemp plant were therefore used until the 19th century, especially in the production of work clothes. However, there is no evidence to assert that the first jeans were made of hemp.

The inventor of paper is the Chinese Ts'ai Lun. Around 105 AD, he mixed a kind of mash containing water, hemp fibers, rags, fishnets and other ingredients. This mash was skimmed with a sieve, pressed into single sheets and hung up to dry. The successful method came to Europe in the 11th century via India and Arabia. Already 200 years later, paper was more popular than parchment. Guttenberg printed most of his Bibles on hemp paper and also the first drafts of the American Declaration of Independence were written on it. Due to the lower production costs, paper is mainly produced from wood fibers today. However, hemp paper is much more durable with its longer fibers. In addition, hemp contains less lignin than wood. Lignin is responsible for the fact that paper turns yellow and eventually falls apart. For documents that should last for several centuries, hemp paper is therefore a good choice.

The heyday of hemp was the age of the sailing ships in the 17th and 18th centuries. The sailors' nets, flags, and clothing were made of hemp just as the ropes were. Each ship had an annual consumption of nearly 50 tons of hemp fiber. Working ships were fundamental for a working route between Europe and the New World. In Virginia, the first hemp law came into force in 1619. In it, all farmers were asked to sow hemp seeds in the next season. Due to its importance, hemp has even served as a legal means of payment in North America. Until the 19th century American farmers could pay their taxes with hemp. The economic decline of the hemp plant began with the disappearance of the large sailing ships. At the beginning of the 20th century cotton became cheaper and gradually replaced hemp from textile production. Within the industry hemp oil has been replaced by much cheaper synthetic alternatives. And even hemp ropes have been largely replaced by synthetic fiber products. Since the 1950s hemp had almost completely lost its economic importance in the Western world.

Today hemp is facing a big comeback. More and more fashion designers use hemp fibers as a sustainable alternative to cotton. Also in the kitchen, hemp seeds are back in fashion. The high-protein seeds are now considered as ”superfood“ because of their valuable nutrients. Due to their slightly nutty note, hemp seeds go well with sweet dishes as well as hearty ones. The company Chiron from Baltringen in Upper Swabia specializes in the production of hemp products. The vegan Organic Hemp Spreads pamper the palate with Indian, Oriental, Mediterranean or Native flavors. Pasta fans can refine their favorite dish with one of the various Organic Hemp Pestos. The cold-pressed Organic Hemp Oil perfects salads and specialties of the cold kitchen. Muesli, yoghurt, quark dishes and colorful salads benefit from Organic Peeled Hemp Seeds. Sweet-tooths should get to know the Organic Hemp Seeds Coated with Chocolate and the Organic Hemp Chocolate Butter Biscuits. With Chiron Natural Delicacies you can enjoy natural food with an authentic taste.