Siddharth Gupta:  Hemp is quickly emerging as a preferred alternative to other fibres

The journey of Indian Hempstore began in the Himalayan town of Kasol in 2017, when Siddharth Gupta, Founder, Indian Hempstores, first encountered hemp products being sold in local markets by small artisans. This encounter sparked a deep curiosity about hemp—not just as a raw material, but as a catalyst for sustainable industrial innovation. Intrigued by its versatility, he travelled to Kathmandu, Nepal, where he discovered a more evolved ecosystem around hemp—ranging from textiles to wellness.

Inspired by this vision, Gupta became one of the first to import and sell hemp bags on Amazon India, introducing Indian consumers to the idea of wearable sustainability. However, he soon realised the lack of an organised supply chain, domestic awareness, and institutional support around hemp in India. That gap became the genesis of Indian Hempstore.

Founded in 2022, Indian Hempstore is India’s first hybrid hemp marketplace, bringing together B2B and B2C ecosystems under one umbrella. The company’s mission is clear: to position hemp as a mainstream industrial crop that can revolutionise textiles, agriculture, health, and the environment.

In its early stages, Indian Hempstore was incubated at Runway, the startup incubator of UPES, my alma mater, which provided a strong foundation through mentorship, infrastructure, and entrepreneurial guidance. This early institutional support helped refine its business strategy and accelerate its transition from idea to impact.

With deep roots in sustainability, we are not just building a business—we’re cultivating a movement to reimagine India’s textile landscape through indigenous, regenerative, and eco-forward innovation.

Hemp, a plant long misunderstood and underutilised, is now being reimagined as a sustainable textile superhero. Grown wildly across India—from the cold altitudes of Himachal to the hot plains of Rajasthan—India is among the top six countries where hemp grows naturally, making it an ideal candidate for scalable, eco-conscious textile production.

Hemp yarns and fabrics come with a robust suite of natural advantages. The fibre is naturally pest-resistant, eliminating the need for harmful pesticides, unlike cotton, which consumes large quantities of water and chemicals. In fact, hemp requires 50 per cent less water than cotton, while enriching the soil it grows in through deep roots and regenerative properties. Even more impressive, hemp sequesters twice the amount of CO₂ from the atmosphere compared to other crops—making it a powerful tool in the climate fight.

Technologically, hemp fabrics are UV-resistant, antibacterial, and thermally insulating, making them suitable for India’s diverse climates. The fibre’s inherent tensile strength ensures longevity, and its unique softening characteristic with every wash enhances comfort over time.

In a world where fashion and function must now align with climate responsibility, Gupta in this interview with Divya Shetty says how hemp textiles offer India a once-in-a-generation opportunity to lead the global transition to planet-friendly fabrics.

How does Indian Hempstore’s business model ensure both sustainability and scalability in India’s growing hemp market?

At Indian Hempstore, our business model is built on a unique hybrid marketplace approach—integrating both online and offline verticals—to drive scalable impact while staying rooted in sustainability. We connect farmers, manufacturers, government bodies, education institutions designers, exporters, and conscious consumers through a single unified digital and offline platform. This allows us to streamline procurement, production, and distribution of hemp-based textiles and products across India and beyond.

On the sustainability front, we work directly with local farmers in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Nepal region, helping them transition to certified hemp cultivation with zero-pesticide practices and minimum water usage. Our core mission is not just to sell the product but also to educate people to make India a global leader in this segment, we collaborated with academic institutions like IIT Ropar, IIM Kashipur, Miranda House Delhi University, Lady Shri College for Women Delhi University and UPES Dehradun for R&D in regenerative agriculture and textile innovation, ensuring our product development remains eco-forward and technologically sound.

With hemp there are various rules, regulations and compliances which can only be informed or coordinated through government bodies, while working since 2017 we noticed there is a huge policy challenge, hence we strategically established our venture in the hemp capital of India, Dehradun Uttarakhand, where the first hemp policy for India was introduced by Government of Uttarakhand in 2017. We started working with the industrial department, startup Uttarakhand and gradually as industrial advisor with Himachal Government.  From a scalability perspective, our focus is on building India’s first organized hemp supply chain, backed by state support and institutional funding. We’ve signed a ₹1 billion MoU with the Government of Uttarakhand to develop a hemp industry cluster, and we’ve already fulfilled over 2,000 B2C and B2B orders, 2 B2G orders, partnered with 40+ hemp companies, and engaged over 50,000 students and professionals through awareness programs.

Our tech-enabled platform, coupled with physical outreach, allows us to serve both traditional textile buyers and modern eco-conscious consumers, creating a strong foundation to scale nationally and tap into global demand.

In short, Indian Hempstore is not just creating products—it’s building the future infrastructure of the Indian hemp ecosystem.

Could you walk us through your sourcing process—where do you source your hemp from, and how do you ensure ethical and eco-friendly practices?

At Indian Hempstore, we believe that true sustainability starts at the root—literally. Our sourcing model is fully traceable, ethical, and eco-conscious, ensuring that every fibre of hemp we use upholds the values of regenerative agriculture and rural empowerment. Working on a beta version of blockchain hemp technology, making sourcing traceable. Our mission is to simplify the trackability both for government and people to make sure ethical practices established for strong industrial culture in India.

We primarily source hemp from licensed cultivators, manufacturers and wild-growing regions across Uttarakhand & Himachal Pradesh—states that have historically seen natural cannabis growth across diverse climates. These regions offer ideal agro-ecological conditions for hemp cultivation without requiring chemical inputs.

To ensure ethical practices, we work directly with farmers and self-help groups, providing training in sustainable farming techniques, proper retting, fibre extraction, and compliance with government regulations. Our engagement isn’t just transactional—we co-create value by ensuring fair pricing, zero middlemen exploitation, and community development.

On the eco-friendly front, all hemp sourced by Indian Hempstore is grown using minimal water, without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. We closely monitor soil regeneration, biodiversity impact, and carbon absorption, as hemp naturally enriches the soil and captures large amounts of CO₂. This makes our supply chain not only low-impact but climate-positive.

We also collaborate with R&D partners and agricultural experts from institutions like IIT Ropar I-Hub to continuously improve post-harvest processes like decortication and fibre softening—making hemp yarns ready for industrial spinning while preserving sustainability standards.

In essence, our sourcing isn’t just about raw material—it’s about building a responsible textile ecosystem, where every thread carries a story of nature, ethics, and innovation.

How do you see the hemp apparel and accessories segment evolving in India, and what role is Indian Hempstore aiming to play in that future?

The hemp apparel and accessories segment in India is on the cusp of a major transformation. As global and domestic consumers grow more conscious about environmental impact, there is a rising demand for natural, durable, and ethically-made fashion. Hemp, with its rich fibre strength, antibacterial properties, and environmental benefits, is quickly emerging as a preferred alternative to cotton, polyester, and even linen.

We believe that India, with its natural cannabis biodiversity and textile heritage, is uniquely positioned to lead this revolution. In the coming years, we expect to see hemp enter mainstream fashion, workwear, activewear, luxury eco-fashion, and even smart textiles—powered by innovation in yarn blending, dyeing techniques, and fabric finishing.

At Indian Hempstore, our vision is to be at the forefront of this hemp evolution. We’re working to develop high-quality hemp-based fabrics and blends that are not just sustainable but also commercially viable for designers, export houses, and large retailers. Our collaborations with textile engineers and fashion institutions are focused on refining yarn textures, improving colour retention, and scaling production while maintaining sustainability standards.

On the accessories front, we’re promoting a zero-waste design ecosystem—creating everything from hemp footwear and bags to wallets and home goods—made by artisans, backed by technology. We’re also enabling young fashion entrepreneurs to access eco-materials and co-create with us through our platform.

As India moves toward becoming a global textile sustainability hub, Indian Hempstore aims to serve as a central force—bridging tradition with technology, grassroots supply with global demand, and fashion with climate action

What challenges have you encountered in promoting hemp-based fashion in India, and how are you addressing consumer awareness and regulatory hurdles?

Promoting hemp-based fashion in India comes with a unique set of challenges—cultural, regulatory, and informational. One of the biggest hurdles we’ve faced is the widespread misconception between industrial hemp and narcotic cannabis. Despite being a legally distinct and non-psychoactive crop, hemp still suffers from outdated stigma and confusion, slowing policy support, investor confidence, and public acceptance.

From a regulatory standpoint, India is still in the early stages of framing structured guidelines for hemp cultivation, processing, and commercialization. Licensing systems vary by state, and lack of a unified national framework delays supply chain development and restricts scalability.

On the consumer side, awareness has been limited. Many customers are unfamiliar with hemp’s textile properties—its durability, breathability, antibacterial nature, and eco-advantages over cotton and synthetics. There’s also a perception that sustainable fashion is either too niche or too expensive, which we aim to change.

With increasing global interest in sustainable fashion, how is Indian Hempstore positioning itself in international markets, and do you have plans to expand globally?

As the global fashion industry pivots toward sustainable fibres and ethical sourcing, Indian Hempstore is strategically positioning itself as a global supplier and innovation partner for hemp-based textiles and products. With rising international demand for eco-conscious alternatives to cotton and synthetics, India’s indigenous hemp—when processed and branded right—has the potential to lead the next textile revolution.

We’ve already begun laying the foundation for global expansion. Indian Hempstore recently represented Uttarakhand and India at SLUSH 2024 in Finland, one of the world’s most prestigious startup platforms. There, we formed partnerships with two leading European hemp companies, who together operate over 140 stores across Europe. These collaborations are opening doors for joint product development, cross-border retail, and supply chain integration.

Our international strategy includes:

• Export-Ready Product Development: We’re working on high-grade hemp yarns, woven and knitted fabrics, and blend innovations suitable for European, North American, and Japanese fashion markets.
• Global B2B Marketplace Integration: Our platform is being scaled to support international B2B transactions, enabling global buyers to source verified, ethically made Indian hemp textiles.
• Compliance and Certifications: We’re aligning our production processes with global textile standards—such as GOTS, Fair Trade, and OEKO-TEX—to meet international buyer requirements.
• Storytelling Through Origin: International consumers are increasingly driven by stories of authenticity. Our products emphasize “Himalayan Hemp” as a mark of purity, resilience, and sustainability, giving us a unique identity in the global market.

Yes, we absolutely have plans to expand globally—not just as an exporter, but as an ambassador of India’s sustainable textile legacy. We envision Indian Hempstore as the “FabIndia of Hemp”, connecting traditional wisdom with contemporary global fashion values.