Multifacetted Bamboo

Spore reports:

With a tensile strength even greater than that of steel, coupled with an extremely light weight, bamboo is well-suited to a vast range of purposes. New technologies have developed bamboo as a strong and attractive construction material for entire buildings. Bamboo houses in Rarotonga, South Pacific stood up to hurricanes with winds up to 275 kph. Bamboo flooring can be made of pieces that have been steamed, flattened, glued together, finished, and cut. In the Caribbean, especially Suriname and Guyana, it is widely used for furniture production. More recently, bamboo has gained popularity as a product for making textiles. Bamboo fibre makes clothes with excellent wicking qualities, UV protection and odour absorption, making it ideal for the booming fitness sector. Tests show the fibre kills 98% of bacteria, so the fibre is especially suitable for socks.


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photo courtesy of Cempaka Nature