Gruppo Fibranova was founded in 2000 by entrepreneurs, researchers and financial consultants, all of whom had played a significant part in the rediscovery of hemp since 1996. Some of the them carried out the first experimental trials to cultivate hemp in 1996, and the President of Gruppo Fibranova was one of the founding partners of Assocanapa, an association that brought together the “pioneers” who reintroduced the hemp crop into Italy. The President himself participated in inter-Ministry meetings in which the Italian standards for hemp production were agreed upon. Via these meetings he was able to consult both national and European institutes and public offices. With the insight gained he and the other founding partners realised that it was necessary to create a private enterprise that would be able to develop specific production activities, and environmentally, socially and economically sustainable methods and technologies for re-constructing the entire hemp production chain. Gruppo Fibranova has therefore developed applied research activities that have been co-financed by public entities and has established an extensive network of collaborators that includes research institutes, private businesses and industrial organisations in Italy, Europe and World-wide. The new centre for applied research on industrial hemp will be the reference point for all the activity of the Group. Innovative technologies and patents will be developed and made available to farmers and industries.

Gruppo Fibranova represents the missing link between the agricultural production activities and the industrial processing of the raw materials into end products. Gruppo Fibranova aims to present farmers with a sustainable cultivation option, and to give the industry a viable alternative to using polluting raw materials from non-renewable sources. Overall this can enable the production of end products (fabrics, plastics, paper, composites, insulating material etc) that are 100% ecological and biodegradable.

Doing business together with Nature
We have put much attention in choosing the technologies used for transforming the raw materials into fibres. The environmental impact of the technologies has been accurately evaluated, and preference has always gone to machinery and equipment that do not emit harmful gasses into the environment. The same goes for processing technologies that enable the production of bi-products, or that enable waste products to be used as fertilizers. We believe that human and environmental health will benefit from the use of hemp and other natural fibres – it will create a relationship between industry and agriculture that offers sustainable growth for the future.