From nature’s world of cactus, we have sisal.  It is part of the cactus family of agave (Agave sisalana).

It’s not only used to make sisal rugs, but also other products such as hats, bags, cat scratch post, and much more.

The leaves have very pointy looking tips.  They also produce flowers too. Photo from Wikipedia.

The plants are grown in large plantations in such places as Brazil. Sisal prefer tropical warm climate and is drought tolerate. They are propagated from bulbils or rhizomes from mature plants. They take about 3 to 5 years to mature and can produced leaves for up to 8 years. And like hemp, chemical fertilizer is not used in growing sisal. So that is a plus for sisal farmers.

The top 3 sisal producing countries are Brazil, Tanzania, and China.  Other countries that produce and export sisal include South Africa and Kenya.

In sisal production, the leaves are dried, then brushed with a machine, and finally pressed into bales to be exported.  Pretty simple but I’m sure is hard work!

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When I think of hemp, I usually think of hemp fiber and hemp seed oil. Others may think otherwise. But it’s about time we all became more aware of the benefits of hemp.

The first benefit is that hemp fibers make great textile.  And it can be beneficial as outdoor clothing since it’s resistant to mold and ultraviolet light. How about hemp patio umbrellas? Those would be neat to see.

And the oil is beneficial in skincare and soapmaking too.  Hempseed Oil is excellent for providing essential fatty acids to your skin. Although I have yet to experiment with them.

Hemp seed oil is also great addition to salads besides the classic olive oil. Hemp oil has some really good properties and is naturally rich in omega 3, 6 and 9. It also contains minerals, vitamins and antioxidants, high in vitamins A and E.

Other hemp products range from hemp paper, seeds, and powder. Now there is even hemp milk too. Hemp powder I think taste ok, reminded me of seaweed. But since I am a fan of soymilk, I think hemp milk would be interesting to try. As hemp milk is suppose to be easier to digest. A Manitoba company from Canada makes then in plain, chocolate, and vanilla.

Photo from Manitoba Harvest. Organic unsweetened hemp milk.

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