Italian entrepreneurs Giovanni Milazzo and Antonio Caruso have recognized the value of hemp as a versatile material and are seeking to bring this natural, renewable resource into an interesting, relatively new use: as a 3D printing filament. Via their startup, Kanèsis, the duo have created a basic hemp filament that produces high-quality, lightweight objects right off a 3D print bed. Printing close to the temperatures required for PLA filament, at a slightly higher 210 degrees C, the hemp filament--formed by the residues of two plants and a thermoplastic resin--the material will be officially unveiled in mid-August at a conference and expo in Milan. In the fall, a crowdfunding campaign will seek to raise funds for production, with a market goal in early 2016. Read more about this material and Kanèsis' future plans in the full article: http://3dprint.com/81006/hemp-3d-printer-filament/


Below is a photo of objects 3D printed using Kanèsis' hemp filament: