Here’s the low-down on one of our most often asked questions, and we sure do wish the answer was better: custom hemp bags are just are really, really hard to source.
It’s true. On a regular basis, we scour our sources and turn over every rock for one–just ONE!–hemp reusable bag for our site. We used to have a super awesome hemp bag on our site, but unfortunately that factory stopped selling them here.
We dream about the day that we can shout from the rooftops that we’ve hit gold and found another hemp bag. It’s why we still have that category (Jute is a great alternative, too, and so is cotton. Just sayin’). But this day may not come for a long time.
One of the reasons is demand, which isn’t as high as one might think. In Europe, where hemp is easier to access than in the USA, suppliers are increasingly choosing cheaper alternatives than hemp fibers in their manufacturing. As more uses for hemp are found, demand has grown a bit, but not at levels that would indicate any sort of major shift.
Despite its eco-friendly nature, hemp is not allowed for widespread cultivation in the US. Only a select few farms are cultivating it, in very few states around the country. And though imports of hemp-based products are legal, the total retail market for hemp in the United States is only about $500 million.
So, we’ll just have to keep searching for hemp reusable bags for our clients. With luck, we’ll find one. You’ll definitely be the first to know.
