Hemp scutching: the process to separate the fiber from the hemp hurd

The process of hemp scutching – Hemp fiber must be free from the woody hemp hurd (also named canapule): the difference between short fiber and long fiber

Scutching: the process of separating hemp fiber from the woody parts

Scutching allows hemp to be suitable for the industrial process. Scutching means working on the stems of the plant, which can reach up to five meters in height. Scutching separates the woody pith or hurd (canapule) from the bark where the fiber is present.

Hemp scutching: definition and methods – short fiber for paper and constructions; long fiber for the textile industry

Hemp scutching process is divided into two stages. The first process carries out a preliminary breaking up of the woody stems. The second is needed to divide the hurd (or canapule) from the fibers still bound to bark fibers. Hemp scutching can release two types of hemp fibers: short fiber, mainly used for paper, composites production and constructions, and long fiber, which tends to be used in textiles and for the textile industry.
Traditionally these procedures were done by hand using tools such as iron combs; today, facilities and machinery can be used to make the process more efficient. The scutching machine is composed of side-by-side, rotating grooved cylinders that repeatedly bend the stems.
Today scutching machines are built mainly in France: the few that are willing to operate in Italy have been imported – a revising and updating process is ongoing. The Hemp scutching phase works on consistent loads: the stockage, the logistics of the raw material through the entire process can be critical for budget reasons.

Editorial team