Bamboo and its many sustainability benefits
Bamboo is used for a great variety of purposes. It’s more sustainable than other materials and has many benefits to both people and planet. We are increasingly using it as a raw material in IKEA products.
Durable, stable, and hard
Bamboo’s strength and good dimensional stability provide possibilities for constructions with thinner elements and boards, resulting in reduced use of material per product. This saves natural resources, and increases savings during transport.
With the correct surface treatment, bamboo also becomes an optimal material for wet room products, as it is less likely to crack due to moisture exposure. Bamboo is both renewable and recyclable, and its durability makes it a great material for long-lasting products.
The full wood expression of bamboo is yet another benefit of the material. Besides its sustainable nature, it is also beautiful.
Did you know? Despite its size, bamboo is not a tree, but a grass.
Green in every way
We believe that climate change is one of the biggest challenges that humanity faces. Young and green forests counter climate change by binding CO2. Bamboo forests are particularly efficient as the bamboo plant is fast growing and in many cases does not have to be replanted after the poles have been cut.
Bamboo filters CO2 out of the air, produces oxygen and has a high growth rate. This makes it extremely sustainable – the material of the future!"
Peter Nilsson – Category Manager, IKEA
Factors that have a positive impact on bamboo’s environmental footprint:
- Grows in a wide variety of ecological environments
- Generally doesn’t require fertilizers or irrigation
- Grows extremely fast
- Rarely needs replanting
Did you know? Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants in the world and can grow up to one meter per day.
How IKEA uses bamboo
IKEA products that feature bamboo are mainly made from two parts of the plant – the bottom and the middle. Lamellae are used for panels in accessories and furniture, and slats are used for handicraft techniques such as rolling and weaving. Below are some examples of IKEA products made from bamboo.
Did you know? There are 1200 bamboo species in the world. Don’t worry, pandas don’t eat the species that we use.
