But in the early '90s, rapidly rising consumer demand revived the moribund hemp industry. The number of U.S. retail stores selling hemp products soared from 2 in 1988 to over 2000 today. Over 200 companies now market hemp products. European hemp acreage tripled from 1990 to 1997. Hemp is now used in sneakers by Adidas, in high fashion suits by Georgio Armani and in bibles made by Kimberly Clark.
Interface wants to make hemp carpets.
Ford is replacing fiberglass with hemp in its vans. Hemp makes particleboard, animal bedding, cheese and cookies, body oils and skin moisturizers. Canada thinks so. Next year its farmers will plant its first commercial hemp crop in 60 years. This August Ontario's Minister of Agriculture announced that his office is aggressively nurturing a home-grown hemp industry from farm to factory.