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This article originally appeared in the San Francisco Bay Guardian in November, 1992. Reproduced here with the permission of the author (who retains the copyright) ------------------------------------------------------------------ The Cannabis Center and Hemporium by Mari Kane, 860 2nd Street, SF CA, 94107-2019 If you're looking for the ultimate in green commodities look no further than your local hemporium. For years educated hempsters have known about the versatile uses of cannabis, and now, the market has woken up and smelled the weed! At the vanguard of hemp retailing stands the Cannabis Center and Hemporium. Less like the traditional psych shop- where potheads browse amid black lite posters and water pipes- and more like a general store, offering the basic goods of everyday life. But forget about getting high from smoking a hemp hanky, it's not going to happen There's not enough THC in these productsto give you anything but a wicked headache. The hemporium features an on-site "Fabric Artist" named Gilbert, who will custom-make garments of your fancy using 100% hemp fabric, imported from China. The material bears a striking resemblance to linen with it's natural color, abundance of irregularities, and it's propensity to wrinkling. The heavy gauge hemp is stiff, which is better applied to outerwear such as jackets and coats. The lighter gauge has more flow, and is preferable for skirts, bathrobes, and even pyjamas. So what's so great about wearing hemp? "The durability", explains Gilbert, "the fact that it lasts twice as long as cotton is going to give the public a reason to demand it. Once the public demands it, we'll see different weaves like twill, to make jeans". China is the biggest supplier of hemp fabric in spite of the fact that their mills are working with 1930's American technology.. Hemp fiber is relatively inexpensive to buy, but the customs tax paid on imported hemp is upwards of 80%! Gilbert estimates that the price of hemp products would be halved by using American-grown hemp, and only then would he consider manufacturing a line of hempwear. As things are, a tailor-made blazer runs around $150.00, and shirts from $40.00 to $50.00. The store also carries Stoned-Wear hemp/cotton shorts for $35.00, Hemp Colony blended shirts at $45.00, and House Of Hemp 100% hemp hooded sweatshirts at $50.00. The Hemporium carries a variety of hemp paper, made in the USA from imported hemp fibers. From Portland comes Tree-Free Ecopaper, a hemp/ straw blend along the lines of a smooth newsprint. Unlike wood pulp, hemp paper is estimated to last 1500 years without fading or deterioration. Imagine a copy of the Bay Guardian being around that long! Evanescent Press, in Legget California, produces luxurious art papers, all of which are stocked or can be ordered at the Hemporium. Evanescent makes a 16x20 replica of the Declaration of Independence- serving as a gentle reminder that the founding fathers wisely drafted the document on hemp, finalized it on inferior parchment- only $23.00. For health nuts, there is 100% Hemp seed oil, pressed in the good ol' U S of A from Indian hemp seeds. One drop of this nutritive oil goes a long way in a massage. Hungry? Whip it up in a tasty salad dressing to benefit from it's essential fatty acids. The most polyunsaturated oil on the planet runs a hefty $20.00 per 8.5 oz bottle. Or if you're feeling enterprising, get a 4 oz bag of seed for $3.95 , and squeeze out the oil yourself. For the devoted Deadhead on your list, there are tie-dyed hackysack balls of 100% hemp cloth, and stuffed with hemp seeds- $12.00. Green hemp baseball caps are available for $25.00-. small price considering your grandchildren might be wearing it someday. Slightly more subtle is the hemp hanky- natural colored, and inscribed with it's hemp content- at only $3.00. But the most intriguing item in the store is a 100% hemp rug.from China. This colorful, tight knotted, thick napped carpet looks and feels like a wool/silk blend. It is carved in the traditional Chinese style, with the chop "Ma"(hemp) emblazoned in jade green. A perfect meditation rug or a stylish doormat for $295.00. All of the partners at the Cannabis Center and Hemporium are active in the hemp movement, and offer something for free- knowledge. The Cannabis Center and Hemporium 442A Haight Street near Fillmore 415-552-7487 Hours: Thursday- Sunday, Noon-7pm