4 Environmental Benefits of Hemp

Skincare is one small way individuals can reduce their environmental footprint. Plant-based ingredients are generally lower-impact than synthetic alternatives, but not all plants are created equal.

There's a specific reason we chose hemp to be the backbone of Dope Skin Co. The hemp plant, otherwise known as cannabis sativa, has some genuinely impressive environmental benefits. From soil regeneration to pesticide reduction, here's why hemp holds up as a genuinely lower-impact crop.

1. Hemp Regenerates Soil

Unlike a lot of crops, growing hemp actually improves the soil it was planted in. Every part of the hemp plant — stalks, seeds, flowers, leaves — is packed with nutrients. As the plant grows, parts of it naturally fall off and decompose, returning those nutrients to the soil and leaving it more fertile for the next crop.

2. Hemp Cleans the Air

Hemp has a genuine capacity to absorb CO2 as it grows. It's estimated that hemp plants consume roughly four times as much carbon dioxide as trees, and that one hectare of hemp can remove around 11 tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere annually.

Hemp's life cycle is also much shorter than a tree's — around 12 to 14 weeks — which means crops can be grown, harvested, and rotated far more quickly. The more hemp grown, the more carbon removed from the atmosphere.

3. Hemp Can Be Grown Without Pesticides

Hemp is naturally pesticide resistant, meaning farmers can grow it without pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides. Exposure to those chemicals is linked to pollution of air and waterways, and to broader environmental harm.

4. Hemp is Water Efficient

Hemp is also a water-efficient crop, requiring minimal water to grow. Producing hemp textile, for example, uses roughly two thirds less water than cotton.

Choosing a plant-based ingredient like hemp over a synthetic compound is a genuine win for the environment — and it happens to be a genuinely effective skincare ingredient too. Want the full story on what hemp actually does for skin? Read our complete guide to hemp oil for skin.