Bamboo – A sustainable alternative to hardwood

by Michael Smith

The headline can be seen as both a statement of fact as well as a question and we shall be looking at it from those angles as well.

Aside from using bamboo as a (sustainable) replacement and substitute for wood, it can also be spun, if that is the correct term here, into fiber and yarn from which to make clothing, such as T-shirts and such like.

However, our immediate concern here shall be as regards to bamboo as a (sustainable) replacement for hardwood and even more.

In the Far East, where bamboo originates, this grass, for that is what it is, for it is not a tree, is used also in many instances to replace metal.

Scaffolding, for instance, are made from bamboo poles in places such as China, and also, so I understand, the structural frame of many building, instead of using steel. As the material is extremely flexible, even when dry, it is much better in, say, earthquake areas, such as are many of its home countries, so to speak. Bamboo frames withstand the shocks of the earthquake much better than steel does and appear not to suffer the same damage.

Bamboo has also been using in many of those countries such as China, Vietnam, Japan – and in other places where it does grow, such as in the jungles of Asia and Latin America – for cutting blades, such as knives, arrows and spears. Also is was uses as a replacement for steel in the way of digging tools such a spades and shovels, and tools for tending the gardens.

But, I digressed a little here again: we were dealing with bamboo as a (sustainable) substitute for certain uses of hardwoods, were we not?

From what I have so far of products made from this plant, such as the kitchen and lifestyle utensils and accessories by “bambu”, and American company, whose products are now available in the UK via “Green Pioneer Ltd.”, and also others, such as the use of bamboo in ASUS laptop cases, it is quire capable to be a more sustainable (?) substitute for some hardwoods, especially the tropical kind, and in the case of computer cases, of plastics.

The reason I have been putting the word “sustainable” in brackets or, as in the previous paragraph, marked with a question mark in brackets, is that I, to some degree, question the sustainable issue.

Why do I question the sustainable issue as regards to bamboo and bamboo products? The answer here is that, while I am well aware of the fact that bamboo regrows to its full height and extent after cutting in about seven years and that cutting actually makes it grow more vigorously, live any grass, I do wonder as to the environmental footprint of transporting the goods, though often made in “Fair Trade” workshops from, say, China or Vietnam, to the UK or the USA.
That, however, I would hasten to add, is my sole concern, I think, as far as bamboo's green credentials are concerned.

The nice thing with bamboo is that containers can be made from it without the need of much work even, should one want the real rustic look. On the other hand it can be worked into many different things, the list which would be a little too long to mention here.

I must say that the more I hand bamboo the more I enjoy it and it's texture, though I also and especially love wood. The latter is, probably, still a greater love of mine, and here particularly native hardwoods.

Bamboo has an advantage over wood per se in that it can be used for the making of disposable flatware, as well as disposable plates and dishes; something that just cannot be made from wood, at least not directly. In addition to that there are eating utensils such as small pocket-size sporks and also other items of reusable picnic flatware. Not that one only has to use that kind of flatware for picnics, now. Wood just would not have the structural integrity and strength for this. Wooden spoons are one thing but...

Therefore bamboo is a suitable and possibly green substitute here and we should welcome it, especially when those products are made at Fair Trade approved workshops and conditions.

Bambu products can be purchased in the UK via http://www.bambuboutique.co.uk/ and in the USA via http://bambuhome.com/. For stockists in other areas contact bambu in the USA.

© M Smith (Veshengro), February 2009
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“Bambu” bamboo products at “Green Pioneer”

by Michael Smith

We are all, I am sure, familiar with bamboo being used for the making of chopsticks and I am sure that the one or other of us has a set or more of those at home from Chinese takeout meals, for instance. I certainly have. I can never get myself to throwing those away, as they can be washed up (by hand – I would not suggest the use of a dishwasher here) and reused. Carry your own chopsticks is a campaign that is taking off in Japan, for instance, and as far as I can see this is one reason why to retain those that are given with takeout meals, for Chinese to Japanese.

Bambu's bamboo products, originally designed in the USA and distributed there now have a distributer in the UK in the form of “Green Pioneer Ltd” and they can be purchased now in UK currency via their website.

Those “bambu” bamboo products, whether the bowls, natural or lacquer, or the simple one-time (and does it really have to be just a one-time) use plates or flatware, or the sporks, are also not expensive at all, despite their quality and workmanship, especially seeing that, as far as it would appear to me, most of those products are, more than likely, make individually and by hand.

Bamboo is a natural material of tremendous strength and, unless brute force is being used, breading those products is not going to be an easy task. We must not forget that in Asia bamboo is used for scaffolding and, so I understand, even as the skeleton of building. Because of its flexibility is it makes structures a lot less prone to earthquakes than does steel.

Bamboo is a very interesting material that is little known for things other than garden canes and a few other things in the Western world. So far we have not, for instance, seen things like eating utensils, unless you happen to use chopsticks, some of which are bamboo.

Bamboo is, theoretically, a grass and not a tree and wood but the material is probably stronger than many if not indeed all woods. Full grown bamboo cut down will regrow to its full size withing about seven years. Therefore as far as using it for utensils and such like and many other uses this is a very sustainable way to go.

I do not say that we should abandon wood. Far from it but as they say “horses for courses” and this is also a case here as to sustainable raw materials.

Clothing too can be made from bamboo fibers but I am beginning to digress again, I think.

When I met “Green Pioneer” with the “bambu” range at the Top Drawer Spring Show at London's Earl's Court in January 2009 I was given some single use plates and single use flatware as well as a small bamboo spork and to use the plates just once I would say, and the same as to the “disposable” flatware, would be a great shame. The spork certainly is not a “one-time use” tool and the plates could also be, though I still have to give it a try, washed up and reused again, as could the picnic flatware.

The little bambu spork retails £2 and, while that is not expensive, I am sure, for this lovely made eating tool, it certainly is not something that I would want to chuck into the compost soon after, nor are you meant to. It is in fact designed to be reusable and it is dishwasher safe.

This bamboo spork by “bambu”, that I refer to above, is a lovely little eating tool that one can carry on one's person for the “just in case”. Only one must be mindful of the fact that the tines of the fork part of the bambu sport are very sharp indeed, so some sort of cover or small box would be ideal to use with it for carrying it.

I am sure that we shall be seeing more bamboo products on the market all over the place in the not so distant future. There are a number of them, from a number of different designers and suppliers available and via a number of different outlets.

As far as looks and variety are concerned I doubt, however, that anyone is going to match the bambu collection sold in the UK by “Green Pioneer Ltd” via the “Bambu Boutique” will be matched soon and I also doubt this as far as the prices are concerned.

While the lacquer bowls, which are absolute pieces of beauty though which at the same time are timeless and all great for whatever use in kitchen and home, are the most premium part of the range the baskets at £10 for a set of 3, utensils range in price from £2.50 to £3.50) and chopping boards start at an entry level one that is priced at £8. Those all are certainly great values are great value.

Although there are kitchen products from a variety of sources available range from those for the primarily home market to those to the catering trade and everything else in between, and that is just the use of bamboo as kitchen and eating utensils, bowls for a variety of uses and such like, the bambu collection, I am sure, can cater for all needs at a very good price; something with in the current climate (no, the economic one and not the natural one) is very important, I am sure.

In addition to that there are beginning to be a multitude of other uses for bamboo appearing on the “green” market including the use of bamboo by laptop makers such as ASUS and also for the use of flooring in place of wood laminates and such.

In my opinion, bamboo is a natural – pardon the pun – for kitchen and cooking utensils more than for the use in flooring though it is very hard wearing and long lasting.

For more on the “bambu” range of bamboo products check out the Bambu Boutique, the retail portal for this range.

© M Smith (Veshengro), January 2009
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