New funding for hemp nonwovens plant from the US Department of Energy

New funding for hemp nonwovens plant from the US Department of Energy

New funding for hemp nonwovens plant from the US Department of Energy

February 01, 2025

Category: FIBRES

Country: United States

Renewable, carbon-sequestering raw materials sourced directly from southeastern farms.

By Innovation in Textiles
28th January 2025
Idaho, USA


Idaho-headquartered Hempitecture, is to receive $8.42 million in funding from the US Department of Energy under the Investing in America agenda.

The funding will support the creation of a new industrial hemp fibre processing and manufacturing facility in northeast Tennessee focused on producing high-performing products for the building materials, packaging and automotive sectors.

The new facility will create 25 full-time jobs at wages 15% above the local prevailing rate and will use hemp fibre to reduce carbon intensity by up to 80% in the products it manufactures.

This funding recognises both the potential of bio-based materials and the role they play in building a cleaner, more resilient economy.

Hempitecture’s flagship products like HempWool and PlantPanel play a role in decarbonising the construction industry and are part of a broader vision to transform supply chains using sustainable resources.

Farm-to-Form at Hempitecture represents a pioneering approach to building materials. It starts with partnerships with local farmers committed to regenerative practices, cultivating a resilient supply chain that supports rural economies while reducing carbon footprints. Hempitecture’s new production facility will then enable eco-friendly manufacturing processes to create bio-based insulation materials that perform exceptionally in energy efficiency and carbon reduction across a variety of industries.

Hempitecture CIO, Tommy Gibbons, spent two years at Tennessee’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory as part of the DOE Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program (LEEP). While developing a commercialisation plan for Hempitecture’s products, it became clear that northeast Tennessee is fertile ground with a rich history of agriculture, textile manufacturing and a workforce ready for new opportunities outside the coal industry.


Courtesy: Innovationintextiles.com

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