Humans have a long history of making use of hemp fiber. In fact, archaeologists have discovered pieces of woven hemp fabric from ancient Mesopotamia in what is modern-day Iraq and Iran that date back to 8,000 BCE. Zoom forward to modern times, and hemp fiber is a booming sector of the global industrial hemp industry.
“The global hemp fiber market was valued at US$ 5.78 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach US$ 30.13 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 20.12% during the forecast period 2025–2033.” stated AstuteAnalytica in a recent press release about a market analysis that they conducted.
“China maintains its position as the undisputed leader in hemp fiber production, generating an impressive output exceeding 73,000 metric tons in 2024. The nation’s commitment to hemp cultivation is evident through its allocation of 27,000 hectares specifically for textile hemp production.” they also wrote. “Looking forward, Chinese hemp production projections indicate substantial growth, with estimates suggesting output will surge to nearly 117,000 metric tons by 2028, representing a significant increase from approximately 100,000 metric tons recorded in 2023.”
The market analysis also included the following findings:
- China, the Netherlands, and Canada collectively produced over 80,000 metric tons of refined hemp fiber in 2024
- The global hemp market achieved approximately 200,000 tons of fiber production in 2021
- Emerging markets are also making significant contributions, particularly in India, where the regions of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh cultivated hemp across over 12,000 acres in 2024, yielding 9,800 metric tons of fiber
- The total value of all industrial hemp produced in the U.S., including crops grown in open fields and under protection, reached $445 million in 2024
- The European Union witnessed substantial expansion in hemp cultivation, with total area growing from 22,010 hectares in 2016 to 32,250 hectares by 2022
- France’s dominance in the European market is unequivocal, producing over 121,720 tons in 2022, which constitutes an impressive 78% of the EU’s total output
- Dutch hemp cultivation area increased dramatically from 1,976 hectares in 2023 to an estimated 3,440 hectares in 2024, representing nearly 74% growth year-over-year
The market analysis also determined the following regarding specified applications of hemp fiber:
- The versatility of hemp fiber market extends into specialized applications, with 43,000 metric tons of hemp hurds deployed in housing construction projects across France, Germany, and Canada in 2023
- The automotive industry consumed approximately 7,100 tons of hemp fiber in 2024 for various components, highlighting the material’s appeal for lightweight, sustainable automotive parts
- Bio-composite applications showed strong growth, with over 12,000 metric tons utilized in 2024, while global consumption of hemp bio-composites exceeded 13,000 metric tons
- Traditional applications persist, with paper manufacturing processing over 15,500 tons of hemp pulp in 2023
- Hemp tow, consisting of shorter fibers from processing, represented a substantial volume of over 26,500 metric tons globally in 2024, indicating efficient utilization of processing byproducts
At the recent International Cannabis Business Conference in Berlin, leading international cannabis economist Beau Whitney, founder of Whitney Economics, gave a keynote presentation during which he examined a multitude of important industry data points. Mr. Whitney projected that the potential value of the global industrial hemp industry could be as much as $456.2 billion.