Bamboo stems
Bamboo stems
Bamboo stems (or culms) are a strong and unexpensive material for building, furniture and other products.
Actually not a type of wood, but a family of countless woody grass species, bamboo has been used for thousands of years as a building material in China and South East Asia.
Its hardness and strength comparable to steel or hardwood, but it grows very fast in Asia with a much lower environmental footprint.
The life cycle |
Pro ![]() |
Con ![]() |
||||
Low Energy Bamboo stems do not require energy intensive processing after harvesting, besides drying and transporting. Low footprint Bamboo grows 3 times faster than hardwood. It produces more on less land. |
||||||
Lightweight Because the stems and the fibers are hollow, you need less weight for the same strength compared to other materials. This saves fuel on large scale transportation. |
Long distance If you order it from far, bamboo transportation has a big environmental impact. It is in fact responsible for 95% fo the emissions of the life cycle of bamboo (1).
Show Alternatives »
|
|||||
Non toxic The only chemical used to preserve bamboo is boron, which is non toxic. Low cost Bamboo is unexpensive. It is also a very invasive species, so if you have some land you can grow a lot for free. |
|
|||||
Lightweight Because the stems and the fibers are hollow, you need less weight for the same strength compared to other materials. This saves fuel on large scale production |
||||||
Non toxic If not further treated with toxic chemicals, bamboo products are safe for the user. |
||||||
Easy recycling Being made of cellulose, bamboo is compostable at end of life, or can be safely incinerated. |
||||||
Links
-
Other Materials
-
Examples on Harvestmap.org