Bamboo is a very sustainable and eco-friendly flooring material and is becoming an attractive alternative to hardwood flooring.
Why is bamboo flooring eco-friendly?
Bamboo is a regenerating grass that grows quickly and reaches maturity in around five years, making it a more environmentally friendly and a greener alternative to the more traditional hardwood flooring options where trees can take decades to grow. Once the bamboo has been harvested, the root of the bamboo grass is not damaged so it can self-regenerate meaning that it does not need to be re-planted like trees. Although the manufacture of bamboo flooring takes place in China and is then shipped to Europe to be sold, this does not entirely compromise its eco-friendly properties. It does seem like a contradiction to its green benefits but Bamboo is native to China so is only travelling once to be sold, whereas most hardwood is felled in Europe, then shipped to China to be manufactured, then shipped back to Europe to be sold.
Green benefits of bamboo flooring
• Bamboo is a rapid growing, renewable grass that does not need to be re-planted
• Bamboo reaches maturity in around five years, compared to hardwood trees that take a few decades
• Bamboo grows quickly and naturally in its native environment so there is no need for fertiliser or irrigation systems
• Bamboo forests are never harvested all at once, ensuring that there are abundant and healthy crops ready for harvest each year
• Bamboo forests are carefully harvested by hand to ensure there is no damage or harm to the surrounding environment
• Bamboo is native to China and is manufactured in China, reducing the carbon footprint of the product travelling
