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Enter Mattie Mead, CEO and founder of Hempitecture, a pioneering company dedicated to reintegrating industrial hemp into mainstream construction in the U.S. Inspired during his architecture studies, Mead recognized the rich history Australians and Americans share with hemp. From explorers using it for sails to farmers growing it for rope, hemp once formed a backbone of early American industry. The Founding Fathers even cultivated hemp, emphasizing its importance historically.
Mead describes a compelling narrative—how society moved from building with natural, earth-based materials to synthetic and petrochemical products. Now, he believes we're returning to those roots, valuing natural, sustainable options once more.