Let's Talk Hemp

Tag: Organic

  • Protecting Your Hemp Intellectual Property

    Protecting Your Hemp Intellectual Property

    Protecting Your Hemp Intellectual Property

    The non-profit organization Agricultural Genomics Foundation (AGF) and The Fat Pig Society (FPS) want to invite you to participate in a third party neutral project that will protect  hemp farmers by accelerating the identification, validation and listing of clonally maintained CBD hemp plants. We intend to help identify hemp plants with the highest production and the lowest risk, while ensuring that your  Intellectual property rights and royalties are protected.

    Intellectual property (IP)  protection for hemp varieties is rapidly becoming the new hot spot in the hemp green rush. At the same time, hemp regulators are cracking down on the sales of seeds and clones that put farmers at risk. Regulations that mandate hemp to be a certified variety as defined by the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies (“AOSCA”) has already passed in many States.

    The Hemp industry needs a third party neutral Certification organization, like Underwriters Laboratory Certification for electrical appliances. An unsafe appliance can kill a consumer, and high THC hemp can kill a farm.

    We established a simple two-step process in order to participate:

    1. Sign the attached  “Material transfer agreement” and pay the $175 fee per plant ($165 for >100; $150 for >1000). Please make checks payable to Fat Pig Society with Genomic Selection on the Memo line.
    2. Assure seed delivery by May 15th, 2020 or clone delivery by June 1st, 2020 to the following address: Fat Pig Society  317 North Hollywood Street Fort Collins, CO 80521. All clones must be pest free.

    Our team will cultivate your plants in the Certified Organic container test field, and with the Organic Integrated Pest Management developed by the Colorado State University (CSU).  Thus, all of the plants in our program will be USDA certified organic.

    You will receive two (2) copies of each plant that will be propagated and clonally maintained in vegetative state that will serve as your future foundation plant stock. You will also receive a copy of the chemotype testing results, and a copy of all of the phenotypic (physical) traits we measured. This data contains all the necessary information to enter the Colorado Certified Hemp trials,  file for a listing with the  Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies (AOSCA) and to file for Intellectual Property at USDA/PVP or USPTO.

    Besides being part of the first-of its kind program in the entire country, other benefits of participating in this project include:

    -We can identify  if you were cross pollinated with marijuana, kill them, and return the low risk plants for breeders to restart your seed line (or clones).

    – Our project will help you shorten the path to seed stabilization by growing a seed line and allow you to pick out those closest to the  breeding target for the next breeding cycle.

    – You can decide if you want to proceed to file IP or AOSCA, and we will provide the application materials, and all of the necessary information about filing fees estimates, and legal costs. Please Note that we can not fill out applications for plants that test >0.3% THC.

    – the data collected about your plants will be part of scientific studies conducted by researchers from the University of Colorado (CU) Boulder in collaboration with AGF.

    – If we identify a patentable clone variety, you can proceed to full commercialization, Phase 2, of this program. All participants will receive the estimated costs (including the estimated legal fees) and all forms for this next step. Phase 2 includes: Filing for Intellectual property protection- IP; filing for variety listing with AOSCA; entry in the Colorado Certified Hemp  program; plant genome sequencing with posterior analysis by scientists from CU Boulder; patent defense through gene sequencing to identify unauthorized use; and field trials to identify secondary factors like cannabinoid yield per acre, insect and disease resistance, terpenes, etc.

    Meet the Team:

    Terry Moran– Project Director- Created and regulated the Nation’s first Certified Hemp Seed Program at the Colorado Department of Agriculture, and has an extensive background in plant breeding, IP, and listing with AOSCA.

    Dr. Daniela Vergara, PhD- President and founder of the Agricultural Genomics Foundation, a 501(C)3 non profit. Daniela is one of the world leaders in Cannabis genomics.

    Barbara Campbell–  One of the top plant patent attorneys in the USA, that will guide breeders and growers to the  best path to IP, including options such as ‘Plant Variety Protection’ through the USDA and ‘Utility or Plant patents’ at the US Patent Office

    Bill Althouse– Founder at Fat Pig Society and a  Certified organic hemp Farmer.  Bill has been selecting for the highest quality hemp CBD clones for over 13 years, has screened over 10,000 individual plants, and has built the test platform and protocols to screen CBD plants at scale.

    Iginia Boccalandro– Co-founder of Fat Pig Society and hemp farmer for 8 years. With her extremely approachable personality and knowledge of farming in both the US and South America, Iginia will be in charge of the public relations and administrative work.

    Contact- Iginia – 970-325-6556  Email fatpigsociety@gmail.com

    NEWS BREIFS

    The Hemp Manifesto

    Seminal Hemp Book, The Emperor Wears No Clothes, Available in Digital Format
    By The Jack Herer Foundation

    EU Hemp Association Publishes Manifesto for Post-Pandemic World
    By The European Industrial Hemp Association

    Myco students

    Student Builds “Myco-noe” Out of Reishi Mushrooms
    By NBC News

    NoCo Hemp Expo EARTH WEEK Conference Content Available Online through April 24
    By Let’s Talk Hemp

     

    HEADLINE NEWS

    Colorado Names April 7 Charlotte Figi Day to Honor Girl Who Inspired the CBD Movement
    By Westword

    Hemp Extractor Who Received Stimulus Assistance Shares Tips for Others
    By Hemp Industry Daily

    Bob Hoban: Heightened Need for Collaboration with Stimulus Dollars Out of Reach
    By The Hoban Law Group

    Last Prisoner Project to Supply Liquid Disinfectant to Prisons
    By Benzinga

    During COVID-19 Crisis, Hemp Could See Resurgence as America’s Best Wartime Crop
    By Miami New Times

    Dr. Jane Goodall Partners on Hemp Brand to Benefit the Jane Goodall Institute
    By Green Entrepreneur

    FOOD, BEVERAGE & SUPPLEMENTS

    Functional Remedies Names “America’s Heart Healthy Doc” Dr. Joel Kahn as Brand Ambassador
    By BusinessWire

    Pennsylvania CBD Wholesaler Expands Team with Former Zappos Executive
    By Hemp Industry Daily

    Nature’s Path Donates Organic, Hemp Foods to Frontline Healthcare Workers
    By Global News Canada

    Ojai Energetics Earns USDA Certified Organic Seal for Water Soluble CBD Tincture
    By Ojai Energetics

    FASHION, FIBER AND CONSTRUCTION

    Mohawk Launches “Renewal Hemp” Paper Made with 30% Hemp Fiber
    By Mohawk Fine Papers

    Hemp Fiber Processing Is No Longer Just an Idea – It’s Here
    By Textile World

    Texas-based Company Contracts for the Construction of the Largest Hemp Decorticator in the U.S.
    By Associated Press

    FARMING AND AGRICULTURE

    USDA Approves Hemp Plans for Florida, Kansas and Three Native American Tribes
    By Marijuana Moment

    Illinois Reports that Farmers Harvested 73% of Hemp Acres Planted in 2019
    By Illinois.gov

    CW Hemp Develops Lindorea Seed Named for American Farmers
    By CW Hemp

    U.S. Group Seeks Approval of Hemp Seed Meal for Chicken Feed
    By Feed Navigator

    INTERNATIONAL NEWS

    Nicaragua Farming Cooperative to Grow Hemp for California Company
    By Textile World

    UK CBD Manufacturer Hit with Warning Letter from FDA Over Coronavirus Claims
    By FDA

    Icelandic Farmers Now Allowed to Import Industrial Hemp Seeds
    By Hemp Industry Daily

    Profile: Australia’s Growing Industrial Hemp Industry
    By Health Europa

    EVENTS

    NoCo Hemp Expo EARTH WEEK Virtual Conference & Trade Show, April 22-24, 2020

    NoCo Hemp Expo Expands 2020 Show at National Western Complex in Denver, August 6-8, 2020

    Diversify Hemp Meetup at NoCo Hemp Expo, August 6-8, 2020

    Pre-Order Your Copy of Doug Fine’s New Book, American Hemp Farmer

    American Hemp Farmer, the sixth book from author Doug Fine, follows the rigors and pleasures of an entire hemp season from soil preparation and genetics acquisition through harvest and regenerative marketing. It’s immersive. It’s wildly funny. The follow up to Doug Fine’s bestselling Hemp Bound, American Hemp Farmer pulls no punches, and because it is written by an actual hemp farmer and entrepreneur, it tells you what you need to know if you want to join the hemp renaissance.

    Pre-Order American Hemp Farmer Here
    https://www.tatteredcover.com/book/9781603589192

    About Colorado Hemp Company
    The Colorado Hemp Company, the producer of the 7th Annual NoCo Hemp Expo (NoCo7), is a leading organization for the advancement and advocacy of hemp farming, processing, production, innovation, education, and legalization in the USA. The entire team is committed to researching and developing alternatives so that hemp can once again thrive and help individuals and communities throughout America and around the globe. The 7th Annual NoCo Hemp Expo will take place August 6-8, 2020, at the National Western Complex in Denver, CO.

    Contact
    Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, 303.807.1042, steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com
    Morris Beegle, Colorado Hemp Company, 970.541.0448, info@nocohempexpo.com

  • 4th Annual Hemp Harvest Party!

    4th Annual Hemp Harvest Party!

    After 4 years the US hemp industry is finally starting to lose its baby-fat… Look how many more farmers and how many more acres of hemp were grown in Colorado and across the U.S. in just a single year!

    At the 4th Annual Hemp Harvest Party, on Saturday, October 14th you can experience the living U.S. hemp movement in action, presented by Lilu’s Garden.

    Join industry leaders CoHempCo and Colorado Hemp Project as they host at the Oak Room at Oskar Blues Brewery in Longmont, CO, from 8pm-midnight to celebrate “an industry of trail blazers and leaders who have worked hard to accelerate the progress made during this year’s planting, growing and harvesting season.”

    Growers, processors, distributors, and even users are all pioneers in the hemp movement. Enjoy live entertainment with big screen hemp movies, network with hemp enthusiasts, and satisfy in amazing Oskar Blues beer flavors, hemp mulled wines, whiskey and vodka. Grab a special hemp cappuccino or latte from SteepFuze, and savor tasty hemp baklava desserts from Satya Creative.

    Meet Chef Kent of Z-Catering who will be creating special hemp-harvested goodies for purchase, featuring “Hemp Rocks” a German-style krautburger made with farm-to-fork fresh veggies and meats, spiced with a hemp-infusion, and topped with Colorado Hemp Company’s Hemp Green Chili. (Vegan and GF Options)

    The hemp industry itself is gaining weight quickly with more consistent planting of stable genetics; its firming-up muscle from another season of harvesting and processing; and more and more knowledge and experiences are gained and shared each day.

    The Oak Room is a wonderfully-warm event space with lots of tall solid tables, leather cushion booths, and high brewery ceilings. Purchase tickets today as this event is always a lot of fun and generally sells out!

    Right now, we are all pioneers in the movement. We are all leaders in our own individual hemp projects. We all have something to offer.

    Come celebrate and encourage each other as equals in the larger hemp community. For right now, the success of the community depends not on just one person, but on the endurance of all its members.

    Thomas Ivory, Jr.

  • Shop Eco-Conscious Fashion at NoCo Hemp Expo 4

    Shop Eco-Conscious Fashion at NoCo Hemp Expo 4

    Don’t let all the other exciting and innovative uses for hemp at NoCo Hemp Expo 4 distract you. Even though hemp textiles and fashion have been around for a long time (millennia in fact!), wearing your hemp is still an excellent way to support the industry while enjoying a superior product over cotton.

    To highlight the importance of hemp fashion and introduce consumers to some of the many innovative companies making high quality hemp clothing and other goods, NoCo 4 has created a Fashion Alley where you can pick out the latest in hemp gear. If you follow the “green carpet” down to the interactive green screen you can vogue it up and get your picture taken in your new hemp gear thanks to the Digital Workshop Center.

    While cotton has been the undisputed textile king for the past several hundred years (for sometimes controversial reasons), the challenges of growing and processing cotton have taken a toll on the environment and have made alternative fabrics an urgent need for our planet.

    Cotton uses 50% more water to grow as hemp (and 4 times as much once production is factored in!) which is leading to water scarcity and even desertification in some places where cotton is grown.
    Hemp plants can be grown very close together which means a greater yield in addition to eliminating the need for herbicides due to the inability of weeds to compete with such a densely grown crop.
    Cotton needs twice as much land to produce the same amount of fiber as hemp and accounts for 25% of all pesticide use worldwide.

    And this just scratches the surface! Hemp is also much more durable than cotton and just as versatile, which means longer lasting clothes. These facts alone make hemp a better choice for the eco conscious consumer looking to break free from the low-quality fast fashion culture of today.

    Furthermore, hemp clothing is great for the whole family. Kristen Kunau, co-owner of Freida Farms and avid hemp consumer, says, “I love that I feel good when my family wears hemp because it doesn’t destroy the earth, it lasts forever, and when it’s worn in it gets really soft and comfy.”

    While you may not find much in the way of hemp clothing at your local mall just yet, a quick internet search will lead you to a vast array of hemp clothing options. Many makers are selling their wares via company websites and Etsy, such as some of the retailers that will be at the NoCo Hemp Expo like Satori Movement, Hemptique, Recreator, and many others.

    Fashion Alley is sponsored by Hempy’s and EnviroTextiles. Hempy’s sells 100% hemp products that are 100% made in America. They offer hemp t-shirts, hats, wallets, craft supplies, and even jeans! One of their core values is long-term sustainability in all aspects of what they do and they have a total commitment to environmental consciousness and workforce responsibility.

    EnviroTextiles is a pioneer in sustainable textiles, specializing in hemp and other natural fibers. They are industry leaders in the effort to improve corporate responsibility and transparency in manufacturing processes and labeling. They currently provide wholesale hemp fabric and finished promotional products to over 65 countries.

    These companies are on the forefront of the growing hemp clothing market. Buying hemp textiles and fashion is a great way to make an ecological choice (and look great too!). Be sure to visit the Fashion Alley at this years NoCo Hemp Expo to see the cutting edge styles and pick up a few essentials to round out your wardrobe.

    Laurie Hanselmann is a writer, nonprofit management guru, and lover of the natural world. She enjoys exploring how to find more meaning and connection in her life as a ‘Type B’ person through self improvement and productivity hacks. You can find her at persistentlybetter.com.

  • NoCo Hemp Village at Arise Festival promotes “thriveability”

    NoCo Hemp Village at Arise Festival promotes “thriveability”

    One of the fastest growing next-gen Festivals in the country, Arise is not only about Music. Programming includes workshops with thought leaders,environmental activists, and even planting a tree for each ticket sold. The addition of the NoCo Hemp Village this year brings with it the potential of bio-degradable plastics, tree-free paper and life changing medicines. The Hemp Industry in the United States is tenuous and still federally illegal; in spite of this, Colorado leads the country in farming and production.

    #NoCoHempVillage will offer Hemp merchandise from body products to clothing, CBD oils and tinctures, art with Hemp Paper and a series of roundtable discussions. Environmental and economic activists will join farmers and entrepreneurs to talk about public policy, medicine, farming and the economics of Industrial Hemp – a true showcase of what is labeled the ‘new’ Industrial Revolution; one of mindful development, sustainability, and wellness. Let us all grow vigorously together and thrive in a world where a plant might actually be the answer.

     

    Check out the Arise Festival here – arisefestival.com

  • NoCo founder envisions ‘an industry that will be unstoppable’

    NoCo founder envisions ‘an industry that will be unstoppable’

    INTERVIEW: MORRIS BEEGLE
    Founder & Owner
    Colorado Hemp Company

    Morris Beegle spent more than 20 years in the American entertainment industry before turning his attention to the growing U.S. market for ecological, sustainable products. He is the founder and owner of the Colorado Hemp Company (CHC), organizer of NoCo Expo, one of the premier U.S.-based hemp industry trade shows, which recently held its third annual Expo. CHC also offers a wide range of marketing, product and brand development services for hemp-based producers and retailers. Morris is on the business advisory council of the (U.S.) National Hemp Association.

    Read the full article here at Hemptoday.com

  • Introducing the NoCo Hemp Expo HempWall!

    Introducing the NoCo Hemp Expo HempWall!

    By: Rachel Jackson

    2016 has been a monumental year for hemp, and especially big for the NoCo Hemp Expo! As the largest, smartest hemp expo in the country, we want to connect our message with people in every way we can. That’s why this year the NoCo Hemp Expo is unveiling a brand new interactive social media platform, the Tweetwall!

    Affectionately dubbed the HempWall, think of it as your interactive information stand. Throughout the Expo, we’ll be broadcasting the next big event, speaker, or panel happening up on screens all over the Expo!  So when you are looking for the next hempcentric activity, look no further than the HempWall! You’ll be totally connected to everything happening around you, so you’ll want to check back frequently to make sure you’re not missing a thing.

    But that’s not the whole reason we’re doing this. This is the 3rd year of the NoCo Hemp Expo, and we never would have gotten here if not for the loving support of all our attendees and volunteers. Without you we never would have gotten to be the biggest, baddest hemp expo in the country, and this year we want the spotlight to be on you! So we want to see YOU while you’re sampling, cooking, painting, jamming or just having fun at the #nocohempexpo! And we’re doing that through the magic of our HempWall.

    It’s pretty simple. Log in to your Twitter account, follow @NoCoHemp, and simply tag your photo, thought, or friends with the hashtag #nocohempexpo. It will automatically pop up on the HempWall, which is being projected up on screens all over the Expo! So when you snap a selfie with Ben Franklin, or find your new favorite hemp snack, put it on Twitter and hashtag #nocohempexpo, so everyone can see! Maybe you’ll even see someone you know.

    Nowhere near a Hempwall screen? Check your pocket. The Tweetwall also works on your mobile phone, if you pull up the website on your smartphone you’ve got the #nocohempexpo right in your hand. Send the link to your friend who couldn’t make it, and they can watch the #nocohempexpo livestream in front of their eyes. It’s almost as much fun as being there (almost.)

    You can check out the HempWall in action over at nocohempexpo.tweetwally.com. Get those Twittering fingers ready, and we can’t wait to see you April 1st and 2nd!

    Another great reason to check out the wall? We’re also going to be livetweeting the event! Think of it like your interactive information stand, we’ll keep you updated on speakers, panelists, workshops and more! You’ll want to check back to the screens frequently so you don’t miss a thing, and really get the whole expo experience!

     

     

     

     

  • Growers and Natural Food Companies Seek Local Hemp Seed

    Growers and Natural Food Companies Seek Local Hemp Seed

    Matt Birkholz, President of Colorado Hemp Works discusses how the Hemp Bill in Colorado has evolved the need for seed processing in the U.S.

    By: Thomas Ivory, Jr.

    Industrial Hemp seeds have a competitive nutritional value: second only to soy in protein, a better source of Omegas than fish oil, are dairy free, gluten free, vegan, non-GMO, and do not carry any allergens such as nut or tree-nut allergens.

    “As the stigma begins to wear down that somehow people are going to get high by eating hemp seed,” said Matt Birkholz, president of Colorado Hemp Works, “you might start to discover that the hemp seed is a great alternative.”

    Populations of vegetarians and vegans across the U.S. are steadily on the rise. The task of finding plant-based protein can be a challenge. For a long time, the best option has been soy. Hemp can be a great alternative that is more easily digestible by the human body.

    Colorado Hemp Works, based out of Longmont, Colorado, is a local Industrial Hemp seed processing facility that aims at providing the best alternative product. “There are a good amount of natural food companies across the U.S. who have been using hemp in their products for years,” said Birkholz, “and there are new ones coming on-line all the time. Initially what we’re (CHW) looking at is trying to supply those types of companies with a fresher product.”

    “Instead of the seed they buy from Canada, the hemp hearts or the by-products or the ingredients they buy, those seeds were processed months ago and in large batches, and then warehoused waiting for sale. Our business plan, our offering is: we bring the whole seed down to Colorado and we process it on-demand.”

    “So, if a natural food company wants to make their product on a Thursday, we’ll spend Tuesday and Wednesday processing their seed, and deliver Wednesday night or Thursday morning, and get them the freshest product that they can possibly have.”

    CHW takes the input of the whole seed and breaks it down, separating the seed shell casings from the hemp hearts, isolating and capturing each one. They currently dehull hemp seeds and have plans to bring in a commercial grade oil press.

    Right now, there is a big difference in the price between international seed and Colorado seed, because of the availability, and the laws of bringing viable seed into the State. “Our plan was to rely upon international sourced seed, at least for the time being, and then migrate over to Colorado sourced seed as soon as the market was there,” said Birkholz. “We thought it was 2017, 2018, before farmers in Colorado would have enough seed where it would make sense for them to sell to somebody like me for food grade products; as opposed to selling seed to other farmers for the genetic value.

    “What we’re finding, now that we’re operational and the word is starting to get out that we’re for real and we’re actually processing seed and the equipment is moving today, we’re finding a lot of farmers are starting to contact us.”

    This year, there are farmers who are growing up to 1000 acres for food grade seed. That puts CHW ahead of schedule for what they predicted.

    “We’re excited to be the first (hemp seed) processer, and currently the only de-sheller in the U.S., on a commercial scale,” said Birkholz. “We’re really excited to partner with Colorado farmers. And we’re really excited to be pushing this industry forward. We’re here to serve and we’re here to keep the industry moving.”

    CHW is leading the industry in Industrial Hemp seed processing. This gives American companies, and American consumers, the best local products. Visit their website, coloradohempworks.com, to learn more.

    “Hemp (oil) can go rancid quickly,” said Birkholz. “A lot of effort is put toward freshness. What is unique about us is the timing, and how close we can process to the time that our customers make their products.”

  • Going Green This Spring: Top Hemp Fashion Brands in 2016

    Going Green This Spring: Top Hemp Fashion Brands in 2016

    KY Hempsters

    Spring into Summer with Sustainable Hemp Fashion

    One thing we’ve fallen in love with when it comes to hemp is the fashion! Long gone are the days of burlap sacks and hippie necklaces, we’re talking about top-notch designer digs and practical purchases that last a lifetime!

    Not only does hemp production require much less water with little to no pesticides compared to cotton, it’s naturally better than any synthetic material.

    As people become increasingly conscious about their purchasing decisions, we believe it’s important that hemp textiles are readily available. While the hemp textile industry is in need of further development here in the U.S., many companies located across the country are taking strides to make hemp mainstream and advocate for its commercialization. We’ve listed just a few of our favorite sustainable hemp fashion companies below that are making green the new black.

    Pretty Birdie Co.

    hemp-fashion1

    Stephanie Teague Trippe has defined high-class hemp fashion through her company, Pretty Birdie Co.From elegant wedding gowns to classic business attire, Stephanie offers women the look and feel we want on the inside, and on the outside!

     

    With stunning, hand-sewn pieces made using a variety of hemp-blended materials, you can feel confident that your Pretty Birdie purchase is contributing to sustainable, more environmentally friendly practices.

    Plus, her designs are phenomenal! Even catching the eye of four-time Grammy winning artist, Esperanza Spalding, who has been seen wearing Stephanie’s designs on multiple occasions.

    We love our Pretty Birdie pieces and probably wear them too often – they really do fit better each time we wear them! The picture to the left is from last summer when we had a photo-shoot in one of the fields we worked with, showing off our Pretty Birdie outfits! Stephanie has recently expanded her company to include kids clothing and will rebrand with a launching of a new website, stay tuned!

    Jungmaven

    hemp-fashion3

     

    When it comes to being comfy and cool, Jungmaven has us covered! So far, the 60% hemp 40% cotton blend shirts have been our absolute favorite. We can even wear them in the field and the hemp doesn’t stick! The photo below was taken after transferring raw hemp material, and there’s no hemp anywhere on the shirt. Not to mention, it’s so airy and allows our bodies to breath while we work.

    hemp-fashion4

    We can also throw them on with leggings and a cute scarf for an everyday outfit. Founder, Robert Jungmann, caters to men and women with a variety of simple, colorful, comfortable, yet versatile hemp shirts perfect for all activities.

    Jungmaven’s vision is to have everyone in a hemp T-shirt by 2020 to help mitigate climate change. 

    We’ve got ours, Do you?!

     

    Hemp Blue

    hemp-fashion5

    Did you know at one point Kentucky produced a fabric called “Kentucky jeans” made from hemp? In fact, the first Levi Jeans were made using hemp canvas. Now, Hemp Blue is setting an all-new standard with a premium hemp denim line for men and women.

    In December, the L.A. based company launched the Hemp Blue project through a Kickstarter campaign, which was successfully funded well over the goal of $25,000. We can’t wait to get our first pair of Hemp Blue jeans this Spring!

     

    Recreator

    hemp-fashion6

    Who doesn’t love hemp screen tees and sustainable apparel with funky fresh designs? Recreator is re-creating hemp fashion from L.A. with local production from experienced artisans who believe in high-quality, ecological standards. All shirts are dyed, cut and sewn with a distinct pride.

    Minawear Hemp Lounge

    hemp-fashion7

    Ladies, if you’re in the mood to move shop Minawear Hemp Lounge for hemp yoga pants, tops, sundresses and accessories perfect for getting out and moving about! Owner and Founder Mina Haggard prides herself in promoting health, education and care of the planet through her clothing. 

    hemp-fashion8

    Check us out rockin’ our hemp clothes at one of our events last year! Alyssa (pictured left) is wearing the olive spaghetti stap tunic from Minawear Hemp Lounge (see below) and Kirstin (pictured right) has on the flower of life design from Recreator!

    Step’n-Out in Hemp at NoCo

    Interested in learning more about hemp fashion? The NoCo Hemp Expo is hosting a Hemp Fashion Show on Saturday, April 2 at 3:00 pm in Loveland, Colorado at The Ranch Events Complex. Sponsored by Envirotextiles, Step’n-Out in Hemp offers a first-hand view into the world of sustainable, eco-friendly hemp fashions from the companies who are revolutionizing the textile industry today.

    Enviortextiles has been leading the way in hemp fabric and textile production in Colorado and the United States since 2002. The mother-daughter duo, Barbara Filippone and Summer-Star Haekse have been long-committed to producing quality fibers and catalyzing the need for a “cotton” clothing upgrade. 

    Some of the companies mentioned above will be at the Expo for you to connect with! We look forward to seeing even more hemp fashion brands and expanding our hemp wardrobe. Go green with hemp this spring at NoCo Hemp Expo and join us on Saturday, April 2nd at 3:00 PM to support all things hemp and the much-needed movement towards sustainable clothing and textiles in the U.S.

    For more information visit www.nocohempexpo.com.

  • Art Hands on Hemp!

    Art Hands on Hemp!

    Local artists exhibit patriotism and progress through sustainable hemp paper donated by Loveland’s own Tree Free Hemp company.

    By: Thomas Ivory, Jr.

    The long bast fibers of the hemp stalk have an epic reputation for strength, durability, and quality. This is true for cloth, rope, and paper, among other things.
    With the incorporation of Industrial Hemp into the art community, artists in NYC and Loveland, CO have gained another form of expression and a carbon-friendly mediu
    m to illustrate the limitless potential and possibility for hemp in the US.

    Tree Free HempMorris Beegle of TreeFreeHemp Paper Company specializes in 100% sustainable, hemp-blended, post-consumer recycled paper products.

    art“The really good sturdy paper,” said Beegle, “that’s where the fiber comes in. You can blend the hemp fibers with other natural fibers like  wood pulp or post-consumer material. Hemp is is a really good binding agent that will make the paper quiet strong.”

    From March 3-6, the NYC paper exhibit  Art on Paper displayed hemp-artwork by local artist Glenn Goldberg. Held in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, the exhibit was produced in conjunction with Hemp NY City, a multi-day series on the contemporary hemp movement in New York and the nation.

    Goldberg received specialty handmade quality hemp paper donated by Tree Free Hemp.

    “What I donated to Hemp NY City was 250 8½x11 sheets of 110 pound cover-stock hemp paper,” said Beegle. “It’s 25% hemp, 75% post-consumer recycled. That’s all the paper that we’re doing. That’s the only commercial grade hemp paper on the planet right now.”

    Goldberg also received paper made from fiber of several #firstlegalharvest crops including “Ryan Loflin’s 2014 crop, Mike Lewis’ Kentucky 2014 crop, and some from Robin Alberti in Vermont,” said Beegle.

    “I sent those out to Green Field Paper Company in San Diego who made a bunch of those deckle  13×20 sheets. That paper was 65% hemp and 35% recycled cotton. Glenn did some little 4×9 individual art pieces with it.”

    A unique artisan product does have its flaws.

    “The commercial grade paper we use is pretty good for several types of art,” said Beegle, “but the paper is not a bright white, since it’s not bleached; there’s no chlorine.”

    Beegle’s hemp paper is off-white given its naturally processing, and has a bit more texture than your standard office paper.

    “Some of the colors, if you use watercolor-paint, don’t pop as much as they would on a nice white piece of paper. I do, however, think the absorption (of the paint) is great.”

    Back in Colorado, local artists are also getting a chance to work with this timeless medium.

    “Loveland is an art hub, if you didn’t know,” said Beegle. “There are all kinds of sculptors and painters around. It’s a pretty artsy little town.”

    “I donated 15 sheets of 26×20 to the ArtSpace in Loveland for 15 artists to create pieces from our hemp paper.”

    This month at 2nd Fridays in Loveland, the community art walk will display all the amazing hemp paper art provided by Tree Free Hemp

    The pieces will also be displayed at NoCo3 in the ArtZone area!

    “We have a demonstration space with easels set up and there will be some artists painting,” said Beegle.

    “People who want to paint will be able to paint on hemp paper, and we’ll also have a kid’s zone like last year where kids can sit and color on hemp paper. It’s meant to be interactive so people can participate in the expo, paint, create, and walk away with hemp in their hands.”

  • 3rd Annual NoCo Hemp Expo to Host Hemp Investment Summit

    3rd Annual NoCo Hemp Expo to Host Hemp Investment Summit

    Presented by: The Hemp Business Journal

    Tickets are on sale now​​ for the largest hemp‐centric Trade Show and Conference in North America. With over 100 exhibitors, 50+ speakers and industry experts, 2016 is gearing up to be one of the most important years in history for the industrial hemp movement.

    April 1‐2 at The Ranch Events Complex in Loveland, CO will feature an assortment of fun‐filled workshops and program add‐ons including “Let’s Talk Hemp” and “The Hemp Investment Summit” presented by the ​The Hemp Business Journal.​

    “We are excited to have the first‐ever nationally hemp‐focused Investment Summit as part of our conference. Our partners at The Hemp Business Journal and ​Business Catapult​ are bringing together the investment sector and investment ready companies throughout the hemp industry with the potential for funding right off the expo floor.”

    —Morris Beegle, ​Founder @ NoCo Hemp Expo

    The investment summit marks a significant shift toward entrepreneurship and professional development in the hemp industry. Access is strictly limited to 65 attendees, so click ​here​ to reserve your VIP ticket today or to register as a founder or accredited investor.

    “All the World’s a Stage,” says Morris, “ and in the Hemp world today, there is no bigger stage than The NoCo Hemp Expo. “

    Hemp advocates, business leaders, state officials, and educators will assemble together for a weekend of education, entertainment, innovation, commerce, and All Things Hemp!

    Invest in progress this spring by attending the third annual NoCo Hemp Expo and join in the excitement of this emerging industry.

    Abbie Marks
    On The Mark PR
    (985) 518-7493
    abbiemarkswriting@gmail.com