A company called Naturally Advanced Technologies (NAT) has been conducting bulk commercialization trials. The aim of these trials is to determine the potential for mass commercial use of industrial hemp, and the trials are expected to conclude in November. As the press release explains:
Naturally Advanced Technologies Inc., a pioneer in commercializing the use of bast fibers including industrial hemp for use in casual apparel, performance yarns, industrial filters and absorbent pulp and paper products, is conducting bulk commercialization trials with a leading U.S. apparel brand, and one of North America’s largest pulp and paper producers.
The results of these tests are expected to determine the next steps to bring its CRAILAR® Organic Fiber and Advanced Materials technology to market and are expected to be announced by the end of November.
“These trials are a significant milestone in our long-term strategy to commercialize the patented CRAILAR Technology Platform, which we developed in partnership with the National Research Council of Canada and the Alberta Research Council.”
“We are very excited to reach the final stages of the trials and look forward to discussing the results and our preliminary plans to apply this technology on a large commercial scale,” said Ken Barker, CEO of Naturally Advanced Technologies.
CRAILAR technology capitalizes on the superior natural properties of industrial hemp, such as greater tensile strength, thermo regulation properties, anti-microbial, and abrasion resistance.
If NAT can truly process hemp in a sustainable way, this could mean great things for both the hemp industry and the environment. After all, one of the things holding back the hemp industry is the lack of technology to process it en masse. Basically, hemp technology pretty much stopped being developed after the Marijuana Tax Act was passed in 1937. A new development that could springboard hemp production into mainstream commercial use at a rate that can meet modern market demands for textiles, then, could be an event of historical import. Of course, we’ll just have to wait an see.
Check out the original press release here.
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