Hemp wallpaper

Hemp wallpaper: woven fibre with a dry, matt texture

Hemp wallpaper is a wallcovering made of woven hemp yarn, laminated onto a paper or non-woven backing. The fibre comes from the stem of the hemp plant. It is long and strong, so it can be spun into a sturdy, even yarn. On the wall, this gives a dry, matt texture with a soft sheen on the thread. Thicker and thinner threads alternate: up close you see the weave, and from a distance the wall looks calm.

Hemp, sisal and jute side by side

Hemp wallpaper belongs to the same family as sisal wallpaper and jute wallpaper: natural fibres on a backing, all found under grasscloth wallpaper. Sisal has a tighter, harder thread, while jute is coarser and more rustic. Hemp sits in between: softer to the touch than sisal, finer than jute. The colours stay close to the fibre, from off-white and sand to grey and dark brown, complemented by dyed shades if you are looking for more colour.

Hemp wallpaper from Greenland, CMO Paris and Dedar

You buy Natural Hemp by Greenland per metre, in a width of just over 90 centimetres, in dozens of colourways: from Brilliant White and Bone Beige to Dusk Blue and Elm Green. CMO Paris makes Chanvre du Nepal and Chanvre Texture, and Dedar combines hemp with linen in Moire Chanvre Wall. You will also find hemp weaves from Phillip Jeffries, Kirkby Design and Masureel here.

Where hemp wallpaper comes into its own

Hemp belongs on a wall that stays dry: in the living room, bedroom, study or hallway. Behind a sofa or the headboard of a bed, a single wall is often enough to give a room with plastered walls more depth. In a bathroom or behind the kitchen worktop, you are better off choosing vinyl wallpaper, because water leaves a stain on a natural fibre.

Hanging and caring for hemp wallpaper

You hang it strip by strip on a smooth, dry surface, using an adhesive for natural wallcoverings. The seams remain visible and are part of the weave. Because hemp is a natural product, the shade also varies slightly from strip to strip. So order the whole wall in one go. Use the wallpaper calculator to work out how much you need. If you are unsure about hanging it yourself, leave it to a professional paperhanger. Remove dust with a soft brush, without water.