WHY HEMP MATTERS – Exploring Hemp in Contemporary Design

What if one of the most promising materials for the future of design is also one of the oldest cultivated plants in human history?

With WHY HEMP MATTERS, The Home of Sustainable Things (HOST) explored the extraordinary potential of hemp as a renewable resource and an alternative to conventional materials across design, manufacturing and the built environment.

Presented in 2021, the exhibition formed part of HOST's ongoing commitment to bringing material innovation, circular thinking and new approaches to production into public conversation.

Rediscovering an Extraordinary Material

Hemp has been cultivated for centuries, providing fibres and raw materials for textiles, ropes, paper and numerous everyday applications. Today, renewed interest in its versatility is opening up opportunities across contemporary design and industry.

From natural-fibre textiles and composite materials to insulation and hemp-based construction products, the plant offers possibilities that extend far beyond its traditional uses.

Its relatively rapid growth and capacity to absorb atmospheric carbon during cultivation have also attracted attention. These characteristics make hemp particularly interesting in discussions about renewable resources and lower-impact material systems.

However, the environmental performance of any hemp-based product depends on how it is cultivated, processed, manufactured and ultimately used.

Rethinking Materials and Manufacturing

WHY HEMP MATTERS invited visitors to reconsider the materials that surround us and the systems through which they are produced.

At a time when many industries continue to depend heavily on virgin resources and energy-intensive manufacturing, exploring plant-based alternatives presents an opportunity to rethink established practices.

Hemp's versatility offers designers and manufacturers a broad field for experimentation. Its fibres and other plant components can be developed into materials with different structural, tactile and functional properties.

The exhibition highlighted the importance of looking beyond the finished object and considering the resources, knowledge and processes involved in its creation.

For HOST, this approach is central to understanding circular design. Material selection is not simply an aesthetic decision; it can influence resource consumption, manufacturing processes, product longevity and opportunities for recovery.

Why Hemp Matters Today

The questions explored through the exhibition remain relevant to contemporary design.

How can renewable materials reduce our reliance on finite resources? What role can designers play in developing alternative production systems? And how can material research move beyond experimentation towards practical, accessible applications?

WHY HEMP MATTERS contributed to these conversations by encouraging a broader understanding of hemp's potential.

Through exhibitions and public engagement, HOST continues to explore the relationship between design, material innovation and responsible production.

Innovative at heart, WHY HEMP MATTERS reflected a simple but important idea: the future of design depends, in part, on reconsidering the materials we already have available.

WHY HEMP MATTERS was presented as part of Islington's Together Greener festival, held from 19–31 October 2021.

Opening hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 11am–7pm
Location: 53 Barnsbury Street, London N1 1TP

The exhibition formed part of Islington's wider programme exploring environmental sustainability and community engagement.

www.islingtonlife.london/togethergreener

/ Above pictures /
1. Margent Farm hemp crop, 2. Margent Farm - All purpose Studio, by Material Culture constructed as part of Cass Arts graduation program the exterior walls are clad with Margent’s corrugated hemp fibre rain sheets.