This past December 2024, the various partners of the Hemp4Circularity project had the chance to meet at Hyler's factory, in Meulebeke (Belgium).
Growing and processing hemp for textile : a common purpose
This meeting was an opportunity to exchange results obtained over the past 2 years of the cross-border partners. Data collected from France, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands allows the partners of the project to rigorously characterize the potential of hemp. Although promising for its various environmental services, this crop requires special attention at every stage of processing to obtain the highest quality and the most economically viable textiles.
One mission: disseminate project progress
One of the aims of the project is to communicate about the progress made to use hemp as textile. Thus, numerous events are planned to reach target audience. As an example, results will be disseminated during the various trainings of the project to farmers and users of hemp fiber (more information on the wintersessions), or during great fairs and events in 2025 and 2026 (Foire de Libramont, Premiere Vision, the final event...).
Immersion in the early stages of hemp transformation
The day ended with a guided tour of the Hyler machine-building facilities. This visit enabled the partners of the project to understand the manufacturing processes of the machines used for both flax and textile hemp. Hemp harvesting requirements have been skillfully integrated into the design of the machines, which consider the height of the plants, exclude roots and inflorescences and ensure that the hemp stalks are properly parallelized.