SHOP AROUND: HEMP COMES HOME

Cannabis doesn't mean just marijuana. Try clothes, shoes, furniture, curtains

IT WILL be all things hemp next weekend at the Santa Cruz Industrial Hemp
Expo at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium.

At the show, you'll find rocking chairs with hemp fabric backs from Rio
Rockers of Santa Cruz; soaps from Bear Creek Soapworks of Branscomb; shoes
from Deep E Co. of Portland, Ore; paper from Greenfields Paper Co. in San
Diego; hammocks and curtains from Sol-a-Sol of Philo; and shower curtains
from Earth Runnings in Taos, N.M. Not to mention seat covers from RamsHead
of Sonoma; rope from Schermerhorn Bros. of Concord; lip balm from All
Around the World Hemp of Soquel; and all matter of clothing and shoes for
men, women and children from a variety of designers, including Chi Pants,
Solar Home Sewn Hemp, Tradewinds, Hempstead Company, Button Designs and
N.R.G. In Motion.

Hemp is somewhat controversial since it's made from cannabis sativa, more
commonly known as marijuana.

Prejudices against the drug carry over to the many useful products made
from the roots, stalk and stem of hemp plants. It's illegal to grow hemp in
the United States, but it's cultivated in many other countries, and the
products produced from it are imported. Just last Friday, Canada legalized
cannabis farming, under government license and controls.

The expo organizers say their aim is to make consumers more aware of hemp
and its many uses. Proponents say hemp cloth is stronger and longer lasting
than cotton, pointing out that the first Levi's blue jeans were made of
hemp. As a crop, they say it is preferable to cotton because cotton
requires a lot of pesticides and fertilizer, while hemp requires little of
either.

Hemp is also used for food, oils, cosmetics and even ale. You'll find
plenty of experts on hemp at the expo, which will feature 73 vendors in 55
booths. Participation demand was so high that exhibit space was sold out
two months ago.

In addition to the many products for sale, the expo will also feature
fashion shows of hemp clothing at 2 p.m. each day, organized by Eco Goods
of Santa Cruz. There will also be educational and historical exhibits,
videos, speakers and a hemp house exhibit.

The expo is 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Civic Auditorium,
307 Church St., Santa Cruz. Tickets are $5 and good for both days. For
additional information call (408) 425-3003 or visit its Web site at
www.pacifichemp.com/cruzexpo.

Send your shopping ideas, finds and favorite places to Shop Around, Mary
Gottschalk, the Mercury News, 750 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, Calif.
95190; fax (408) 271-3786; e-mail mgottschalk@sjmercury.com.