As I have chosen natural hemp as the main ingredient for my products, I was curious about it's history, and was amazed at the abundance of information when I 'googled' hemp related pages! It's history truly goes back a very, very long way. For instance, did you know that, according to the Columbia History of the World, a bit of hemp fabric dating back to approximately 8,000 BC, is the oldest known relic of human industry? And that the estimate of the use of hemp goes back approximately 12,000 years! Now that's what I call a product with a history!

For the United States alone, hemp has a very colourful history, as noted on many of the sites I visited. For example, it has been stated many times that the original draft of the Declaration of Independence, as well as the U.S. Constitution, were written on hemp paper. Also, both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew hemp, in fact it was mandated by law that American farmers during the days of the Colonial Era and Early Republic grow hemp in a certain percentage of their fields, because of the many products for which hemp was used, including the first American flag sewn by Betsy Ross!

Throughout the history of the world, hemp has been used for many things, by many people, such as:

	Food - Hemp seeds, roasted and eaten, are delicious and extremely nutritious. Hemp was also used (and still is) to make flour, and pressed for the oil (one off the healthiest of all oils)
	On the Sea - Sails, rigging, nets, flags and pennants, as well as all charts, logs and bibles were made from hemp
	Oil lamps used to burn hemp-seed oil and hemp seed was also used to make varnish and paint - completely non-toxic and safe
	Clothing - Hemp cloth was the preferred choice for uniforms as they lasted longer, were water resistant and far more insulative, especially helpful in cold and damp weather

There is a wealth of information on hemp and its many benefits, including as a viable energy resource (something the big petroleum companies don't want you to know).

If you are interested in further information regarding the history of hemp and its many uses (both then and now), there is a great website featuring the book "The Emperor Wears No Clothes" by Jack Herer - he even has the complete index and chapter excerpts for you to read. A full version of the book is also available for purchase on his site.

Further information can be found at the Hemp Industries Association website.