Interested in hemp cardstock paper? In this post you’ll find all you need to know about this excellent eco-friendly paper including:
- What it’s made of
- Why it’s so eco-friendly
- What it looks like
- How to print on it
- Popular uses for it
- Where to buy the ONLY 100% hemp paper on the market
- How to get wholesale pricing on mill-size sheets
What Is Hemp Paper Made Of?
LCI Paper is a U.S. supplier of Gmund Hanf* paper which is available in three options:
*Hanf is German for hemp.
- Good – A hemp blend paper of 10% hemp & 90% pure pulp
- Better – A blend of 50% hemp & 50% recycled pulp
- Best – 100% pure hemp, the ONLY 100% hemp paper on the market, made ONLY by Gmund Paper Mill
Good, Better, and Best are offered in 81lb text (120 gsm) and 118 lb card stock (320 gsm) and in a variety of standard card and paper sizes.
Why is Hemp Paper Eco-Friendly?
Hemp is a super sustainable alternative to conventional wood pulp paper. This is because hemp is a quickly-growing, readily renewable raw material that can be easily cultivated, fully utilized, and recycled many more times than wood-based paper.
Here are some environmental advantages to choosing hemp-based paper over wood-based paper:
- One field of hemp yields 4-5x as much paper as a forest of the same size.
- Hemp can be harvested 3 times a year, but trees can be harvested only 1 time every 7 years.
- Hemp doesn’t deplete soil, so a hemp field can be replanted immediately after the harvest.
- Fewer pesticides are needed to grow hemp plants because they are naturally pest-resistant.
- Fewer herbicides are used in hemp growth because hemp plants eliminate weeds on their own.
- Less bleach is used in hemp paper production because hemp fibers are naturally light in color.
- Hemp fibers are 4-5x longer than wood pulp fibers, so they can be recycled more times (this also makes for super strong paper).
- Unlike wood pulp, hemp fibers hardly yellow, giving hemp based paper a much longer lifespan.
Good, Better, Best – What do the Different Blends Look Like?
Hemp fibers are long and have a unique way of grouping together during production. This gives the paper natural strength, a “wild”, natural appearance, and a soft tactile feel. The more hemp there is in the sheet, the more pronounced these characteristics.
- Good (10%) – Soft white, fairly smooth to the eye and touch
- Better (50%) – Slightly brighter white than 10% Good, heavily textured with a subtle inclusions from the recycled content
- Best (100%) – Soft white, heavily textured
Check out photos below!
Please note that due to the unique, natural composition of this paper, color, texture, and inclusions may slightly vary from run to run, sheet to sheet.
Printing on Hemp Card Stock & Paper
Don’t be fooled by that funky finish – hemp is surprisingly printable. However as with any of our papers, we recommend ordering samples to test print prior to purchase.
Hemp card stock and paper can be printed in the following ways:
- Offset (Oxidative-drying inks only. Let dry for 24 hours.)
- Letterpress
- Silkscreen
- Blind Embossing (Try it on ultra strong Hanf Best for awesome results!)
- Hot Foil Embossing
- Stamping
- Laser or Inkjet (Best results on 81 lb/120 gsm)
Hemp for Paper Packaging, Branding, Invites & More
Designers are wild about hemp due to its unique character, sustainability, strength, printability, and longevity. Some popular uses for it include:
- Eco-friendly packaging and branding – Create hemp paper bags, luxury packaging box designs, hemp business cards, hang tags, and more. Hemp is a popular choice for cannabis packaging or for any brand with a focus on sustainability.
- Documents & letters – Hemp text paper is great for writing and printing, making it popular for documents, letters, and book pages that need to stand the test of time.
- Invitations & Stationery – Hemp invitations, programs, cards, and stationery are environmentally friendly and full of unique character and texture.
Sample & Sign Up for Wholesale Pricing
Interested in hemp for your next high value design? We offer a Gmund Hanf swatchbook as well as individual paper and card samples so you can see, feel and experience hemp for yourself!
Printers, designers, stationers, and other paper professionals are eligible for wholesale pricing on mill-size hemp cardstock paper (and all of our other luxury full-size papers, too). Learn more and sign up here: Full-Size Paper at Wholesale Prices for Printers & Designers
You may also like:
Sustainable Paper Options at LCI Paper | 5 LCI Paper Services that Designers Love | Gmund Used – Colorful Recycled Paper with Character