What will Ukraine be like after the war? Of course, responsible minds are already working on ambitious plans! They are tackling complex issues, such as whether to rebuild the industrial giants that have been almost entirely destroyed. What will happen to industrial energy facilities, many of which were put into operation back in Soviet times and have since been damaged by missile strikes from the “elder brother”?
Which industries will be renovated first? What are Ukraine’s prospects for becoming a testing ground for the cuttingedge trends of the 21st century? After all, Ukrainians are capable not only of mastering new technologies but also of generating them, impressing the world with their creativity. Oksana Devo is one of these innovators.
A journalist by education, as well as an intelligent, beautiful woman and a mother of three, she already had entrepreneurial experience when her family members suggested she join a new project: they had purchased a hemp processing plant and were thinking about how to expand the product range, sales market, and planning horizons.
For those unfamiliar, hemp fiber is extremely strong and is considered one of the best materials for ropemaking (it is especially resistant to salt water) and cord production. Hemp yarn is made from the stems of industrial hemp, which contains no narcotic substances.
Alongside flax, hemp has always been a traditional crop in Ukrainian agriculture. It was used, among other things, in weaving. After studying the properties of the raw material, Oksana decided it would be a good idea to create a line of home textiles from hemp. However, it was clear that the spinning technologies of the past did not meet modern market demands, and the particular strength of hemp made the fabric rather coarse.
Being a creative and determined person, the Kyiv native was not deterred by these challenges. She turned to the Institute of Bast Crops of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, and as a result of the combined efforts of the institute’s team and Oksana, they managed to create a pleasant-to-the-touch fabric that preserved all the advantages of natural cloth — namely, its natural origin, hypoallergenic properties, durability, as well as excellent temperature regulation and breathability.
In 2013, the first products under the DevoHome brand appeared. The collection presented at a specialized exhibition was almost entirely sold out. The next steps included opening a showroom, launching an online store, and entering foreign markets. Today, DevoHome home textiles are known and appreciated in Western Europe, and the brand’s team in Ukraine handles everything — from growing the crops to developing technologies, producing the material, and designing the products.
The company manufactures hemp-filled blankets (even recommended for babies, and they still smell like grass after washing), towels, throws, pillows, furniture covers, toys, shoes, and more. The product range also includes cozy mats for pets, made from fabric scraps as part of a zero-waste production concept.
But Oksana Devo didn’t stop there. She decided to unlock a new potential of hemp. Since she had thoroughly studied the raw material at all stages of processing, she saw an opportunity to create hemp fur. It took three years from idea to result, but Oksana’s team succeeded! And it’s genuine ecological fur.
Here it’s important to clarify the terminology. “Eco-fur” already exists — it refers to an artificial material derived from petroleum products, whose production generates toxic emissions and which cannot naturally decompose. Like plastic, it can take hundreds of years to break down in landfills.
The eco-fur patented by Oksana Devo under the name HempFur is made using a cotton knit base onto which combed hemp fiber is attached with starch-based glue. While it resembles untreated sheepskin, it is a completely vegan product. Moreover, hemp fur is warm, pestresistant, and lighter than animal fur.
When the production technology for this unique material was perfected and designers had developed fashionable coat models, the pandemic struck, bringing cancellations of planned events and a drop in consumer demand — not the best time to launch a new product meant for use outside the home.
But the true test for Oksana Devo and her team came with the full-scale Russian invasion — just as it did for all Ukrainians. The war affected farmers, who faced enormous difficulties due to fighting, shelling, and fuel shortages. Production had to be adapted to meet frontline needs. New challenges arose: power outages, the loss of staff — some of whom had left the country. Yet the company endured.
Recently, the DevoHome brand was honored with the Green Product & Concept Award, an annual prize for products and concepts that stand out for their design, innovation, and environmental friendliness. Participants from 40 countries submitted a record 1,300 applications, demonstrating the determination of forward-thinking people to create a more sustainable future. And the DevoHome hemp fur coat won the top prize in the “Fashion” category.
This is not only a reason to be proud of Oksana Devo and her colleagues — it is also a strong reminder of Ukraine’s vast potential and its ability to realize it. Among the unique properties of hemp is its capacity to “heal the land”. At least, that’s what our ancestors believed when they planted the crop on exhausted soil. In the same way, every piece of good news strengthens and heals the wounded souls of Ukrainians.
