ZILA Works is a bioplastics innovator that capitalizes on the renewable benefits of industrial hemp, a low-input sustainable crop, to create durable, safer quality products. The ZILA Works vision is to create a vertically integrated supply chain and processing network for industrial hemp in the Pacific Northwest, and to pursue innovative product development to spur market growth. ZILA Works will develop technology to add value upstream to farmers, process in a net-zero fashion, and create “cradle-to-cradle” products that are not only efficient, but also essentially waste free. We are currently in the R&D phase to create a hemp-based thermosetting resin developed in collaboration with scientists at Washington State University. The patent pending resin will replace traditional, fossil fuel-based epoxy resins that incorporate toxic materials, including known carcinogens that cause long-term health hazards and negative impacts on the environment.

F.A.Q.

  • What is the difference between hemp and marijuana?

    Hemp is not marijuana, and marijuana is not hemp. The two are frequently confused because they originate from the same plant species, cannabis sativa L. Marijuana is used for recreational or medicinal purposes due to it psychoactive chemical content. Hemp, however, does not contain the same level of psychoactive chemicals to produce a “high”; you cannot get “high” from hemp. Hemp, instead, has historically been used for industrial and commercial purposes because of its strong, durable fibers. Hemp was long-used to make paper, fuels, oils, housing materials, plastic, rope, and other commercial goods. Hemp is especially attractive because it can be grown in many climates and conditions around the world without pesticides and herbicides, making it a low-input sustainable crop with reduced toxicity and cost of production. These are just some of the environmental benefits of hemp. If you want to learn more about hemp as a low-input, sustainable crop, contact us at the email below.

  • Is hemp legal?

    Despite the many uses and environmental benefits of hemp, cultivation was outlawed because of confusion between hemp and marijuana. Lawmakers, however, are beginning to understand that the two are not the same, and there are ongoing efforts to educate legislators about the benefits of hemp, including its potential to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and replace toxic materials in everyday use. Laws governing the cultivation of industrial hemp are continuing to evolve. For example, industrial hemp can be lawfully cultivated in approx. 30 states, and there is legislation pending in  more states. As the cultivation of hemp spreads, so will our ability to produce safer products at a lower cost to manufacturers and consumers.

  • Is a hemp-based, or bio-based, product as durable as a traditional plastic product?

    Not all bioplastics are the same. They vary in production route, characteristics, end uses, and applications. Most bioplastics innovators have focused on thermoplastics such as Polylactic acid (PLA) and starch blends, which are great for compostable plates and silverware, however they do not have the strength necessary for industrial use. Thermoset plastics, like those that ZILA Works is creating, offer a superior alternative that forms more complex three-dimensional bonding structures during the curing process, improving the material’s mechanical properties such as enhanced chemical resistance, heat resistance, and structural integrity. That is, hemp has twice as many double bonds by volume as the nearest competitive bio-based feedstock, and double bonds are advantageous because they allow manipulation of the polymer to customize it to specific end characteristics.

  • What is a “resin”?

    Resins are used as a protective coating or seal. Resins can be natural (like tree sap) or synthetic. Thermoset resins are the type of resin most widely used in composites such as fiberglass and carbon composites. They type of resin used in a particulate product may dictate the cost, dimensional stability, heat and chemical resistance, and basic flammability of that product. Thermosetting resins are used in paints, coatings, and insulating plastics, both physical (such as mattresses and car parts) and electrical (such as circuit boards and semiconductors).

  • How does a vertically integrated supply chain help me, the consumer?

    The ZILA Works’ vertically integrated supply chain has additional benefits to our communities-at-large. For example, because hemp is a low-input crop, small farmers can benefit from production and sales as part of the supply chain. With many other crops, small farmers suffer because they cannot afford to produce the crop at the same low price as the larger farmers. As another example, because hemp is less toxic than traditional materials, workers in manufacturing plants can avoid long-term risks to their health from handling toxic inputs, such as BPA. If you want to learn more about a vertically integrated supply chain, contact us at the email below.

  • What does ZILA mean?

    ZILA is a Buddhist precept meaning harmony or do no harm. The company grew out of the collective vision of a handful of students who earned their MBAs in Sustainable Business from Pinchot University in Seattle, Washington. This team is made up of individuals who believe that businesses should protect, not exploit, the environment and our communities.

Contact us.

Have questions? Want more information? Contact us at info@zilaworks.com.

ZILA Works is currently not accepting outside funding. If you are an interested investor, please contact us at info@zilaworks.com for more information about future opportunities.

Cultivate. Innovate. Regenerate.