Patrick Atagi, President & CEO of the National Industrial Hemp Council, shares his perspective on the industrial hemp industry and the importance of collaboration in turning potential into progress. This keynote will highlight the evolving landscape of hemp, the partnerships driving growth, and the collective efforts needed to build a stronger, more connected global industry – “Working together works!”

Every industry begins with a story. This session explores the journey of hemp from a once-established global resource to a modern opportunity poised for renewed growth. 1937 and its international partners will share the vision, partnerships, and market potential driving the next chapter of hemp—highlighting how storytelling, collaboration, and shared investment can help build confidence, attract new participants, and accelerate the restoration of hemp as a valuable agricultural and industrial resource.

Creating a more sustainable future requires more than developing innovative materials—it requires building awareness, trust, and demand. This session brings together perspectives from fashion, sustainability investment, and industry communications to explore how sustainable solutions move from innovation to consumer adoption. Panelists will discuss the role of education, storytelling, transparency, and collaboration in connecting responsible materials with the markets and consumers ready to embrace them.

Discover how data and AI-powered tools are transforming trust and transparency across the hemp fiber supply chain. This session explores how NIHC Verify and the AI-powered NIHC Pulse platform combine rigorous data standards with intelligent analytics to provide farmers, processors, manufacturers, and buyers with real-time confidence in sourcing, quality, and market conditions. By turning complex data into actionable insights, these tools are helping build a more transparent, efficient, and trusted marketplace—creating a stronger foundation for the future of the hemp industry.

A strong domestic hemp industry depends on collaboration across growers, businesses, associations, and industry leaders. This panel brings together voices from across the U.S. hemp landscape to discuss the importance of alignment, cooperation, and shared goals in building a thriving industry. Panelists will explore how organizations and stakeholders can work together to address challenges, strengthen market opportunities, and create a more unified path forward for hemp in the United States.

Research and innovation are driving the next generation of hemp—from improved genetics and cultivation practices to advanced materials and new market opportunities. This session brings together researchers, scientists, and industry experts to explore the discoveries and developments shaping hemp’s future across the value chain. Panelists will share insights into advancements in seed development, agricultural research, fiber innovation, and the economic factors helping move hemp from field to finished product.

The future of textiles will be shaped by collaboration across natural fiber industries. This session brings together leaders from the flax, linen, cotton, and hemp sectors to explore opportunities for partnership, innovation, and the development of next-generation fiber blends. Panelists will discuss how combining the strengths of these established and emerging fibers can create new possibilities for performance, sustainability, and market adoption—helping advance a more diverse and resilient natural fiber supply chain.

The hemp industry’s path forward will be shaped by the lessons of the past, the momentum building today, and the opportunities ahead. This session brings together the key themes and insights from Day 1, exploring how collaboration across the value chain is creating a stronger foundation for growth. Through shared perspectives and a forward-looking discussion, attendees will hear how working together—across industries, organizations, and markets—can help transform hemp’s potential into lasting success.

A look inside the federal programs supporting the growth and development of the industrial hemp industry. This session brings together experts from USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) to discuss current research, market development efforts, data, standards, and resources helping advance hemp production and commercialization. Panelists will share insights into USDA initiatives and how science, collaboration, and industry engagement are supporting the future of hemp.

Building a successful industrial hemp supply chain requires the right technologies, infrastructure, and processing capabilities to move the crop from field to market. This session brings together leaders in hemp processing, fiber innovation, and downstream applications to discuss the equipment and advancements helping unlock hemp’s potential at scale. Panelists will explore how innovations in processing and supply chain development are creating new opportunities for fiber, materials, and other hemp-based products while addressing the practical challenges of commercialization.

As global demand grows for sustainable natural fibers, new opportunities are emerging to rebuild hemp’s role in agriculture, manufacturing, and textiles. This session explores the potential for hemp fiber development across Latin America and beyond, from genetics and cultivation to processing and end-use applications. Panelists will discuss the opportunities, challenges, and collaborations needed to strengthen the supply chain and advance hemp as a scalable, high-value fiber for the future.

The growth of a global hemp industry depends on collaboration across borders, cultures, and markets. This international panel brings together leaders from hemp organizations around the world to discuss the importance of cooperation, shared knowledge, and aligned efforts in advancing the industry. Panelists will explore opportunities for international partnerships, lessons learned from different markets, and how working together can help build a stronger, more connected global hemp ecosystem.

What will it take to return hemp fiber to the textile mainstream? In this panel discussion, industry leaders and innovators share practical insights into advancing hemp through craftsmanship, material innovation, and responsible production. Panelists will discuss their own approaches to creating durable, high-quality alternatives to synthetic and fast-fashion materials while navigating the realities of today’s marketplace. Rather than offering a single solution, the conversation focuses on real-world strategies, collaborative progress, and the shared belief that a more sustainable future for textiles is both possible and achievable.

Hemp is emerging as a versatile material for a new generation of products designed to replace conventional, resource-intensive materials. This session explores the innovation happening across biocomposites, bioplastics, nonwovens, and other advanced applications, with industry leaders sharing how hemp is being transformed into functional, scalable solutions. Panelists will discuss the opportunities and challenges of moving hemp-based materials from concept to commercialization and the role these technologies can play in building a more sustainable materials future.

Indigenous communities have long understood the value of hemp, natural fibers, and regenerative relationships with the land. This conversation explores how Indigenous knowledge, cultural heritage, and modern innovation can inform a more sustainable future for hemp and beyond. From traditional practices to new opportunities in agriculture, textiles, and economic development, the session will highlight the role Indigenous leadership can play in shaping a resilient, responsible, and regenerative global hemp industry.

From sacred tradition to the world’s most prestigious fashion houses, hemp continues to redefine what luxury can mean. This session explores the many forms of hemp’s value—from Japan’s “Golden Hemp,” a rare, traditionally hand-processed fiber cultivated for more than 10,000 years and used in sacred Shinto shrine ropes (shimenawa), purification rituals, ceremonial sumo belts, and imperial garments, to its emerging role in contemporary luxury fashion and premium branding. Featuring perspectives from leaders in traditional craftsmanship and modern design, the discussion examines how hemp’s heritage, exceptional qualities, and sustainability are positioning it as a material that commands value across both cultural and commercial worlds.

Optional Activities, separate registration required