Temporary exhibition

Hemp: Back to the Future

The plastic island in the Pacific Ocean is now three times the size of France. This really highlights the urgency to take measures in stopping this disaster. Why do we continue to produce almost everything with toxic plastic derived from oil? The new temporary exhibition of the Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum in Barcelona shows us a solution for the near future: hemp plastic.

Hemp is the “innocent cousin” of cannabis due to its low level of psychoactive substance. The plastic that can be obtained from this versatile plant is lightweight, durable and biodegradable. A few companies are pioneering in the use of this futuristic material. Hemp cultivation company HempFlax cooperates with renowned car manufactures to produce door panels from hemp fibres, while a cutting edge Dutch designer has developed an electric scooter with a body made entirely from hemp.

However, mainly due to the prohibition of industrial hemp cultivation in most parts of the world, hemp plastic still sounds like a material of the future. It is not. In 1941 Henry Ford already showed the world a car made of bioplastic with a formula that incorporated natural fibres including hemp. It is a return to the future we need.

Hemp: Back to the Future
April 20 – September 30, 2018
Opening: Friday April 20 (International Cannabis Day), at 7.00 pm
Museum’s ground floor, free entry