More on Bamboo

I've previously written about bamboo here and in the last few weeks I have been able to study some bamboo at very close quarters. Around my apartment - or more particularly the apartment block that the "Foreign Teachers" live in, there are several areas of bamboo growing.

I remember it well from when I was here in 2010, but did not take as much notice of it then as I am doing now.

I think at that time the bamboo garden was "new" - perhaps a year or two old, but now it is well established and the bamboo acts as a screen for the canal. Perhaps it is to shield us from the murky waters of the canal. (The canals are dredged from time to time, but I have not been here for this rather smelly experience. I've heard enough to know I am lucky!)

I've been a fan of bamboo fabric (which I mentioned in the previous article), and in recent weeks have discovered more about the plant and the fabric that results.

There's quite a lot to read on the subject at Wikipedia. And other sites as well.

I can watch it grow - day by day and it is not difficult to understand that it is the fastest growing woody plant on earth. This season though seems to be the best in recent times. The new canes really are thick and plentiful and really reaching for the sky as one of the photos attests.

I have recently purchased two cane chairs. Bamboo and woven cane. It is a long story. In our apartments we are "issued" with four wooden chairs. Awfully uncomfortable but OK for dining if you don't linger long or your butt will seize!! In any cast two of my chairs were pretty damaged. Previous repairs had been unsuccessful. I know that if I had access to a few tools and some wood glue I might have been able to save them, but our maintainence man looked and decided they were unrepairable.

I had already purchased the two cane chairs. (bringing them back to the campus strapped to the directors little car on a rather hilarious day!) I've "fallen in love" with the cane chairs. They are just so comfortable.

About the same time my friend from Australia arrived with some purchases that I had made on-line and had delivered to her house on the Gold Coast of Queensland. Awesome service from the company - ordered on Friday and delivered to my friend on the Monday. So I have two t-shirts made of bamboo and a wonderful pair of socks. (So comfortable!)

We found a little shop in what is rather unpleasantly called "rubbish street" across fromt he campus - selling bamboo products. There are similar shops opening up around China too - now that they have discovered how wonderful the bamboo fabric is.

I bought a towel in the little shop - not because I needed one, but to encourage him in his business.

Other bamboo things have found their way to my apartment. Bamboo coasters - one set with lovely Chinese women in traditional dress, and another set with green bamboo plant pictures on them. (I shall be sending them back home to Oz).

I will order some bamboo bed linen - just before I return to Australia as I know that it will be waiting for me when I arrive.

So my love affair continues. It really is a great product - and as it grows so fast, and easily in the right conditions, it is an easily renewable resource too, which is good for the environment. Much better too than any synthetic fabric.

You can read about bamboo fabric here.

Want to buy some yourself? Just click here