Bamboo Styles

I’ve been Googling and librarying for hours, hours and hours to get you the down low on bamboo.  So here it is.  I hope someone reads something in here that helps him/her win the daily double on Jeopardy…

Bamboo has been central to the Asian way of life for literally thousands and thousands of years.  It has been used for medicinal purposes mostly having to do with asthma and respiratory problems.  And for all you struggling mothers out there, it has at some juncture in time, helped promote lactation.  Talk to you doctors. (*The FDA does not approve any of these statements, at all).  Bamboo has been used to create paper, materials needing for construction and architecture.  Check out this scaffolding!

Bamboo furniture, bedding, wood flooring, molding and all other kinds of home décor items have made their way into our homes.  Australia has blessed our world with the Didgeridoo thanks to bamboo’s existence.  It has taken on culinary forms, none that I have personally tried, but bamboo soaked in coconut milk sounds like a pretty sweet treat.  Here’s a recipe for Bamboo Shoot Fry if you feel so inclined. http://www.surfindia.com/recipes/bamboo-shoot-fry.html
 

To continue on with the list…we’ve got tattoo needles, beer, the ancient equivalent to Tupperware, landscaping, cages, fences, sandals, hats, boats, planes, books, tobacco pipes, back scratchers, fans, baskets and the ever necessary shoe horn.  To end our long but incomplete list here is this cool bike.

Way cooler than my vintage Schwinn handed down from my dad.  The list could go on and on, but we’ve got to stop somewhere.  Bamboo definitely lives up to its name as the “plant of a thousand uses.”    So it’s fun to know all those trivial facts about this giant grass that we utilize for so many different things, but for the sake of truly helpful knowledge let’s discuss why bamboo is such a significant resource.  Unlike the other hardwoods we use for flooring, construction, etc that take 20 years or more to harvest, bamboo takes a mere 3 to 5 years to reach it’s harvesting state.  It is one of the most renewable resources on the earth growing at varying speeds but some as fast as 47.6 inches in just one 24-hour period.  It is the fastest growing planet in the world.  And to my surprise it’s not only grown in China, AKA the Kingdom of Bamboo (labeled this because it’s home to more than 400 species).  We have bamboo growing right here in America including Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi.  I’ve heard of some hardy species being grown in the Northwest as well.  The reason why environmentalists have taken a liking to this king-sized grass is because as previously mentioned, it’s highly sustainable growing as it does, but it also requires very small amounts of chemical processing to make the fibers for clothing and other uses.  In a utopian society it wouldn’t take any, but it’s a step forward from highly processed cotton that takes more plant for less content. (FYI- Bamboo Styles isn’t hating on cotton, we sell items with organic cotton in them). Bamboo also has antibacterial qualities that put it ahead of the curve in fabric technology.  It naturally wicks moisture instead of absorbing it like cotton and other fabrics.  According to www.fuzing.com, seventy-five percent of bacteria will be killed after 24 hours in a bamboo fiber; the National Textile Inspection Association has proved this.  These properties still remain even after 50 washings.  Bamboo is a great option for all you sweaters and outdoor enthusiasts.  Travelers too!  Bamboo hardly wrinkles (depending on it’s blend with other fibers).  That means light packing that requires less washing.
 In the big scheme of things bamboo has stood the test of time as one of the most useful resources in the world.  There maybe arguments against it which we will gladly listen to, but we are definitely proudly for bamboo.  Now I’m going to go find a DIY on how to make a didgeridoo…  

Brittany Moore is a regular contributor to the Bamboo Styles blog and also functions as VP of Business Development.  She has an AFA in Fashion Design and Marketing from IADT-Detroit and resides in metro Detroit.