Colin Buckler, founding owner and manager of Green Hemp Australia, has been helping heal skin and the planet using hemp for more than 30 years.
Tell us a bit about Green Hemp Australia
Our core drive for more than 33 years has been for environmental and human benefits. Hemp is now becoming part of the norm in Australia, with more public use and awareness of the plant’s benefits. We make products daily with locally grown hemp crops, ensuring the freshest hemp products in Australia.
Talk us through the moment GHA was created
In 1986, I was sitting in my lounge in St Kilda watching Star Trek and drew the original logo — the font was very similar to the Star Trek font!
In the 1980s, I first released hemp merch T-shirts with my old band, Painters and Dockers. I was hands-on in producing the hemp fabric, producing the garments and printing and distributing them along with the latest vinyl records we released. I was also pressing those records.
It became apparent in 1989, when I first produced pure hemp oil and body-care products, that the hemp plant was more than a great rock ’n’ roll T-shirt.
What are the benefits of hemp?
It offers environmental and human health. Since that first oil production in the 1980s, we have only received stories of good health and skin improvement — we’ve received too many to list. As hemp contains the perfect balance of essential fatty acids (EFAs), it helps rebuild cells in our body which helps everything in our bodies.
The pure oil is recommended for internal or external application. It can be used in dressings, smoothies and more. Our Daily Dose Hemp Seed Oil has a pleasant nutty taste. You can take one tablespoon every day to help support cardiovascular health and fight cholesterol. It will assist joint, bone and skin wellness and improve and maintain healthy cognitive function. It’s great brain food for the family and pregnant mums-to-be!
The hemp seeds are harvested and cold-pressed every few months into a food-grade oil, then bottled fresh, ensuring the best outcomes. The oil is 100 per cent pure and comes from the first virgin press — it’s never blended with inferior-quality produce from a second or third press, or imported frozen low-quality oil, or oil that has been in storage for long periods. Hemp seed oil also helps comfort and soothe dry skin. It is a perfectly balanced oil, containing omegas 3, 6 and 9. These EFAs are absorbed into our skin cells where they replenish damaged lipids and repair skin.
What are some changes your brand has helped make in the lives of your customers?
We continue to receive many stories of healing and heartfelt thanks after customers have tried many medicines and formulas for years, then suddenly found success after using our products, sometimes instantly. We have more than 30 years of stories featuring all sorts of health and skin improvement.
What are you doing to minimise the environmental impact of GHA?
We have changed our packaging, reducing our labels by printing directly onto the glass and tin. In this era of global warming, we have a wonderful opportunity for climate stabilisation. We aim to educate and encourage farmers to grow hemp as it’s an impressive carbon sink, is great for the soil and doesn’t need toxic insecticides. It also does not require as much water as cotton to grow. We have used recycled shipping boxes and natural packing for decades, reducing the use of plastic.
What’s next for GHA?
We have some new products released just this March. There’s a ladies’ luscious Hemp Glow Balm for your face and a body butter. There’s also a Hemp Oil Make-Up Cleaner, Toner and Eye Balm added to the range this month.
We’re also encouraging more farmers and increasing production to keep up with the demand as more Australians become aware of the benefits of hemp. Wholesale enquiries are also welcome.
For more wholesale and retail information and GHA’s Australian shop location, visit greenhemp.com.
