The magic and versatility of hemp

Georgina Wilkinson from Margaret River Hemp Co has been pioneering hemp in Australia since 1995. We catch up with the founder to talk about the magic and versatility of this wonder seed.

Tell us a bit about Margaret River Hemp Co

Margaret River Hemp Co has been pioneering the Australian Hemp Industry since 1995. Today, we have two bricks and mortar stores in Margaret River and Fremantle in Western Australia and a wholesale business selling our own manufactured hemp skincare and food products as well as a large selection of men’s and ladies’ clothing. Did you know we even build houses out of hemp? There is so much you can do with hemp; we’ve been licensed industrial hemp growers since 2015 and have our own processing facility in the gorgeous Margaret River region.

Talk us through the moment your company was created

Fifteen years ago, the only hemp skincare brands in Australia were coming from overseas, and were full of nasty chemicals. We decided to manufacture our own, starting with our Hemp Body Butter, which is a bestseller. We now have more than 50 products.

Hemp foods only became legal in 2017 in Australia. Our vegan hemp chocolate, hulled hemp seed, protein, flour and raw hemp seed oil launched in Christmas that year and have been loved by our customers.

What are the benefits of hemp in your products?

Hemp is amazing for the human body, not just externally but also internally. It contains several types of fatty acids, but the most important one is GLA (gamma-linolenic acid) which is a fantastic anti-inflammatory.
Hemp is an excellent source of magnesium and contains all nine essential amino acids, which are essential for building muscles.

It’s great for dry skin, naturally promotes skin softness and also helps prevent breakouts.

What are some changes your brand has helped make in the lives of your customers?

We see our retail stores and website as places to learn and be educated in how hemp can help you, not just from a sustainable point of view, but also how hemp can help with your health and wellbeing. Hemp is a plant that can feed you and clothe you. You can live in a healthy non-toxic hemp home, and if you get sick, hemp can also help naturally balance your body.

What are you doing to minimise the environmental impact of Margaret River Hemp Co?

Our aim has always been to nurture a healthy planet. Hemp can definitely do this from the growth stage to the finished products — that’s what makes it so unique. Hemp Co has a commitment to sustainability, from carbon farming from the start to the finished products at the end. To us, a sustainable life is one where people can meet their needs without compromising the ability of people in the future. We can do well by doing good.

Being an Australian brand is super-important to us; that’s why our products are 100 per cent natural and are Australian-grown and -manufactured.

What’s next for Margaret River Hemp Co?

Hemp Co has 17 new products coming out this year, including hemp salt scrubs, bath soaks, lip balms, deodorant, raw hemp healing balms and bioactive face masks. All have sustainable packaging and are 100 per cent natural and organic.
We are also working on extending our hemp food range over the next 12 months and will be releasing a pet bedding range for guinea pigs up to equine horses in the near future. Hemp farm tours in our local Margaret River region will also be starting in 2022. It’s an exciting times for our industry.

For more information visit hempco.net.au.