Stephanie Jean

I love bamboo. I love the look of it, and I love the fact that it’s a sustainable material. Bamboo is one of those miracle plants, like cannabis, sage, poppy and alfalfa. It’s a plant that grows quickly, without taking up much space, and can be used for many, many different uses.

Bamboo grows at a rate of four feet per day, meaning you could sit there and literally watch the bamboo grow. It grows in a variety of climates, meaning you could probably grow it yourself!

I discovered the many uses of bamboo years ago when I first wandered into a Cariloha Bamboo store. I was intrigued as I always am about sustainable materials, and bamboo is no exception- not only is it sustainable, it’s waaaaaay softer than cotton. On this particular trip, my husband and I bought bamboo sheets, and I can’t wait to get them on my bed and snuggle up remembering our honeymoon each night! We’ve been on the hunt for soft sheets to replace our current ones which are developing holes, and there was no denying that bamboo is the softest we’ve come across. (Next time, we’re getting bamboo bath robes!)

Because bamboo grows so quickly, it’s an alternative to many different materials that are harder to raise or take longer to cultivate. It’s hard enough to even replace lumber, resists humidity, and looks good, too. Also, unlike wood, bamboo doesn’t develop knots, making it even stronger than wood!

Anything that is made out of wood can be made out of bamboo. Bamboo can even make textile items like clothing and toilet paper!

Bamboo as clothing keeps you cool (three degrees cooler than cotton) and wicks away moisture. It’s perfect for fitness clothes. My husband bought two shirts and loves them! I was just thrilled with the sheets. 😉 I literally clapped as we left the store…

Anyway, here are just a few ways this miracle plant can be used:

1. Flooring
2. Furniture
3. Helmets
4. Toys
5. Lumber
6. Beehives
7. Phone cases
8. Bicycles
9. Beer
10. Toothpicks
11. Deodorant
12. Caskets
13. Firewood
14. Pipes
15. Ladders
16. Air fresheners
17. Dishes
18. It produces oxygen at a higher rate than trees
19. Wine
20. Tea
21. Diapers
22. Newspaper
23. Coffee filters
24. Molding
25. Landscaping
26. Bulletproof vests
27. Cooking tools
28. Fencing
29. Cardboard

Really, the better question is what can’t bamboo be used for?

My dream is that someday the lumber industry will only exist in history books, as humans realize there are more sustainable materials out there. We don’t need hundreds of years to grow a single tree when we can grow a large supply of bamboo in only a couple days. Leave the forests alone- let’s all grow some bamboo.