Bamboo has shot up in popularity as a material for consumer goods. The reasons for this a multiple. Below, we look at a few reasons for this increase in prevalence and what sets bamboo apart from other materials.

Strength

Bamboo is a strong material and has a greater tensile strength than many types of wood or other material that would be used to build the same products. (Tensile strength refers to the maximum stress a material can bear before breaking when it is stretched or pulled.) To answer our title's question, bamboo’s tensile strength is 28,000 pounds per square inch versus steel’s 23,000 pounds per square inch! This makes bamboo a specific type of stronger than steel. The natural outer coating of bamboo makes it resistant to rot and water logging.

Shorter Growth to Harvest Time

Bamboo is classified as a grass. Some types of bamboo can grow as tall as trees, but they are grasses. This means that it doesn’t need to be replanted after each harvest. It can be cut down and new stalks will grow in the same area. It can take about 3 to 5 years for it to grow back entirely and be ready for harvest again. This is a very short life cycle in comparison to the trees used to make similar products. This quick maturation process makes it a rapidly renewable resource; we are not taking anything from the earth that can’t be regrown quickly.

Diverse range of products

Looking at a stalk of bamboo, you might not be aware of the vast number of products that can be made from this plant. There are items that are recognizable to the bamboo’s natural form, like furniture, trays and dishes, and decorations. These products often have the natural grain appearing throughout. Some products don’t resemble bamboo in its natural form, such as paper or clothing- they just look like the same products made of the materials we’re accustomed to using, like wood or cotton.

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Our bamboo products are biodegradable and compostable in many regions, as they are made exclusively of bamboo. Bamboo cutlery and chopsticks, picks, skewers, and plates are sturdier and smoother than the same products made from wood.