Hempcrete is made from hemp hurd, the woody core of the plant’s stem. This part of the plant used to be discarded as agricultural waste in the production of hemp flowers. But when mixed with a lime-based binder, it becomes a lightweight and durable material that hardens and can be cast, like concrete, into the shapes necessary for construction.

Hempcrete makes a great material for walls, floors, and roofs, offering exceptional insulation properties. Unlike concrete, hempcrete is breathable, regulating humidity and temperature naturally, making homes cooler in summer and warmer in winter. It does have its limitations, however. Hempcrete cannot be used as a structural material on its own, so it is not suitable for load-bearing walls.

However, for inside walls, insulation, flooring, and many other uses, hempcrete presents an eco-friendly alternative to concrete, and one that is sorely needed.

Concrete production is disastrous for the environment, mainly because it requires vast amounts of cement. Cement production is responsible for approximately 8 percent of global CO₂ emissions. It involves heating limestone to extremely high temperatures, which releases significant amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Hemp, meanwhile, doesn’t release CO₂, and it actually sucks it out of the air. Hemp absorbs more CO₂ per hectare than any commercial crop or forest. One recent study showed that it can sequester 307 kg of CO₂ per cubic meter—the equivalent of the yearly emissions of three refrigerators. “While we’re growing it and building hempcrete, it’s sucking CO₂ the whole time and encapsulating the CO₂ in the structure,” the founder of the US Hemp Building Association Eric McKee told reporters.

In Australia, there are few cannabis fiber processing mills, let alone ones run entirely by women. In fact, X-Hemp is the only 100 percent female-owned and run hemp facility in the world.

The company was founded by Andi Lucas, who is also the president of the Tasmanian Hemp Association, in 2020. After losing two of her homes to natural disasters, she wanted to sell a building material that was not only sustainable but also resilient to the increasing threats posed by climate change.

X-Hemp grows its own hemp crops and collaborates with local farmers to repurpose agricultural byproducts—such as hemp seed harvest stubble, which would otherwise be burned—into resources for construction, landscaping, and even the production of specialty paper and animal bedding.

Speaking to The Australian, Lucas noted that there had been many challenges along the way. Manufacturing defects and severe storms caused repeated damage to X-Hemp’s processing facility, delaying production. Credit card companies initially flagged X-Hemp’s transactions under suspicion of drug-related activity. “We’re talking about a completely zero drug value crop. You simply can’t have any psychoactive effect off at all,” she said.

Lucas is a strong advocate for hemp and hopes to change the perception people have of it. “It needs to be drawn completely out of this concept of it being a hippie boutique, niche product….because that’s actually not what it is. It’s got a real huge utility and application in lower socio-economic situations.”

Today, X-Hemp employs nine women—half of whom are the sole earners for their families—all working part-time to balance childcare responsibilities. Allowing employees to have flexible work schedules has been key in creating a space for women in a world that is traditionally dominated by men. Hempcrete brick by hempcrete brick, these women are building a better, more sustainable future.