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Hemp has been used since Ancient Times for such varied applications as making clothes, ropes, sails or bags. It comes from the “Cannabis sativa” plant, known for its tough fibres. This “industrial” hemp should not be mistaken for Indian hemp (Cannabis indica) which has psychotropic virtues and is banned in certain European countries. Industrial hemp is authorised and controlled by the European Union.

Hemp is grown without the use of herbicides and pesticides and the fibres are extracted in a waste free and chemical free mechanical process. Agricultural fibres such as hemp lock up CO2 during growth and therefore the hemp wool products sold by Saint-Gobain Isover have a positive role to play in combating global warming.

Hemp wool products sold by Saint-Gobain Isover are made from hemp and recycled cotton (up to 40%). The woody by-product form the hemp plant is used as high quality horse bedding. The recycled cotton fibres come from a waste stream from the cotton processing industry. The used cotton fibres would otherwise go to landfill.

The natural fibres are bound together using a polyester binder. This binder is harmless, but it is synthetic. The 15% content of polyester fibres gives loft and stability.
To improve the fire properties, the fibre is possibly treated with a low level of a harmless phosphate based fire retardant. There is also an appropriate treatment to avoid mould proliferation.
The high density and high flexural strength of the products makes them tight fitting and non-slumping. This property is important for ease of installation, as no fixings are required, and is essential for effective thermal performance, particularly in timber frame walls and between rafters.
The high density (35kg/m3) combined with the sound damping properties of natural fibres results in good acoustic performance.

Saint-Gobain Isover hemp wool has a thermal resistance between 0,041 and 0.039 w/m°K and is authorised for use by the French Building and Construction Institute (Centre Scientifique et Technique du Batiment - CSTB) - technical approvals n°20/04-49 and

20/04-50.
The products can be harmlessly disposed of by composting or incineration.