Why Bamboo?

As I opened my inbox this morning it was to find 2 more companies advertising bamboo products. Its seems that only a year ago, relatively few people even knew that bamboo could be used in the creation of soft fabric products, let alone furniture. But now it seems that bamboo products keep sprouting every which way I look. Beba Bean, Bamboobino, Tulip, Momo-Baby, and David Fussenegger are only a few of the companies capitalizing on the growing popularity of Bamboo products. But why the sudden global interest in bamboo?

As people are growing more and more concerned about the damage our consumerism is inflicting on our environment, Bamboo is presenting itself as a sustainable and eco-friendly solution. Bamboo is a regenerative grass, that is, it can be harvested continually over its lifespan. A bamboo forest can yield up to 25 times the biomass of an equivalently sized forest of trees. In the regions of Asia in which the bamboo grows, the harvests are typically taken from dedicated plantations and are cut down by hand using traditional implements, thus reducing pollution. Also, unlike cotton, bamboo needs no pesticides to grow and is the fastest growing plant (grass) on earth. Due to its intricate root system, once harvested, the plant will sprout a new shoot, which can be the re-harvested in 3-5 years! Few trees grow that fast. This regenerative property of bamboo makes it a very sustainable resource.

In addition to its green component, bamboo has incredible tensile strength, superior water resistance and unlike wood it does not need to be impregnated with oils. This makes it a practical building material for furniture and floors. Bamboo is also lightweight, anti-microbial, and more absorbent than cotton. It is hypoallergenic and grows softer with every wash making it ideal as clothing and bedding for babies as well as those with allergies or sensitive skin.

So, if the e-mails in my inbox are any indication, I think we can expect to see many more companies jumping at a chance to benefit from bamboo's fast growing popularity. It's a great cause to support and here at Crocodile we look forward to featuring new and innovative bamboo creations.