ECO-STORE STRIVES TO RETAIL HEMP, DISSOLVE MYTHS

Consumer products made from a renewable resource are all you will
find at Hempen Goods. At the near East Side store, clothing,
backpacks, wallets, footwear, paper, even lip balm, soap, candles and
dietary supplements are derived from seeds, stems and fibers of the
versatile hemp plant.

Hempen Goods owner Rich Ray said Americans are the world's leading
consumers of hemp products. With the advantage of being an annual
crop that can be grown easily throughout much of the world, hemp can
be made into a variety of consumer goods from bio-diesel fuel to
building materials for homes.

Ray said he hopes his shop can help dispel some of the myths and
controversy around the raw material that people may associate with
illegal drug use.

"It's really an eco-store. People see hemp and a lot of times they
think head shop," Ray said. "Sometimes I think people believe hemp is
produced to justify some backdoor marijuana legalization. It's really
about offering people sustainable, quality products that function
better than what they replace. What I'm trying to do is offer people
that alternative."

Ray offers fashionable clothing in styles suitable for even office
casual. Items include products from companies such as Sweet Grass
Fibers, Earth Creations and Of the Earth.

If you have been looking for an alternative to petroleum-based
synthetic fabrics like polyester, Hempen Goods provides a wide
selection of textile items woven from all-natural materials.

Ray said hemp is also a good alternative to non-organic cotton, whose
cultivation requires a great many pesticides and herbicides.

"Cotton consumes I think about 50 percent of all agricultural
chemicals," he said.

And Ray said hemp becomes softer with wash and wear than cotton.

"It's one of the softest natural fibers," he said. "It's very
breathable. It's cool in summer but it has great insulating
properties so in the winter it keeps you warm."

Hempen Goods 911 Williamson St. 608-287-0410 www.hempengoods.com