15 fun facts about bamboo
It’s no secret that at Miik we’re committed to sustainable and environmentally friendly practices, but we’re also committed to being stylish and comfortable. The good news is you don’t have to sacrifice one for the other, which is why bamboo is one of our core fabrics each season. Anyone who has tried it knows how luxuriously soft it is and how long it lasts.
Here are 15 fun facts about this incredibly versatile and fascinating resource:
1. As a plant, bamboo is one of the fastest growing in the world. It can grow as much as one meter in 24 hours.
2. Bamboo crops absorb carbon dioxide and can generate up to 35% more oxygen than the same amount trees.
3. It does not require chemicals, pesticides, fertilizers or watering to grow.
4. Bamboo improves, rather than depletes soil quality.
5. When bamboo is harvested it will continue to grow with no additional planting or cultivation.
6. Bamboo has a stronger structure than steel and is widely used in the construction industry.
7. More than 1 billion people around the world live in bamboo houses.
8. Bamboo is used in folk medicine to treat infections and to accelerate the healing of wounds.
9. In Chinese culture, bamboo is a symbol of durability, strength, resilience and flexibility.
10. Bamboo was the only plant to survive the radiation of the atomic bombing in Hiroshima.
11. Bamboo clothing keeps the skin cool and dry. It works as a natural thermostat to regulate the temperature of the body.
12. Bamboo shoots are rich in fibre and potassium and have been a part of the daily diet in Asian countries for decades.
13. Thomas Edison used bamboo filaments in his first light bulbs. One of those bulbs is still burning today at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC.
14. Bamboo is incredibly versatile and is used to produce textiles, household products, musical instruments, automotive parts and event electronic products.
15. Bamboo grows on every continent except Antarctica.