#ourchoice - bamboo

In China bamboo is a symbol of longevity, in India it stands for friendship and in Japan the bamboo plant is associated with purity because of its fresh, green color ... in the countries of origin of bamboo this plant is a good luck charm and a symbol of strength, growth and positive Life energy as a matter of course for everyday life. So far, so good ... but why exactly do we want to sell bamboo products here in Germany ?! Well, very simple - we think bamboo is absolutely ingenious and see it as a possible solution to curb our current plastic waste problem!

​#Facts

Worldwide there are over 1400 types of bamboo, which from a botanical point of view do not belong to the trees, but to the sweet grasses. The woody stalks offer fantastic possibilities as a material, which have been traditionally used in the countries of origin for a long time. Bamboo is an extremely fast growing plant - some varieties grow up to 1m per day!

After just a few years, the stalks begin to lignify and can therefore be used economically. When the bamboo is harvested, the subterranean network of roots remains and constantly forms new shoots. This protects the soil from excessive use and at the same time the dense roots prevent soil erosion. In this way, large amounts can be felled annually without endangering the population.

But that's not all: Bamboo has a very effective water storage system, so that it mostly works without artificial irrigation. The plant's demands on the soil are very modest and it can do without any fertilizers. Insecticides and pesticides are also not necessary when growing bamboo, as the plant produces its own antibacterial agent. This so-called bamboo-kun substance protects the plant from bacteria and fungal attack.

This property also means that products made from bamboo are naturally natural antiseptic and therefore essential more hygienic than other products - isn't that awesome ?!

Also on ours Ecosystem Bamboo cultivation has a positive effect: Due to its rapid growth, the bamboo plant binds a lot compared to trees CO2 and as an evergreen plant produces 35% more oxygen than conventional trees.

So you can see that we are absolutely thrilled with this great and versatile plant!

But where does it come from - "our" bamboo?

The bamboo plant grows in tropical areas around the equator, mainly in Asia and Africa. The main importing country - also for us - is China.

We have of course dealt with the fact that the environmental and social standards there are comparatively low. However, bamboo cultivation in China is still not (yet) very industrialized but mainly in the hands of small farmers. They grow the bamboo in the mountainous country, usually beat it by hand and then lay it on the side of the road, where it is picked up and transported on.

Independent online platforms such as Utopia or Codecheck to the result that the cultivation of bamboo is far more compatible for the environment and workers than e.g. the cultivation of coffee, bananas or cotton.

It is very important to us that we pay attention to sustainable cultivation in the manufacture of our products.

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