We have all heard of bamboo, it has a very rich history, particularly in China, where it was believed to have originated around 5,000 years ago. Nowadays, with the rise of more people becoming environmentally conscious and saying no to single-use plastic it is coming up more in conversations and we are finding more and more household products being made from the highly renewable material. In addition to that, we are starting to realise that bamboo paper could possibly be the perfect alternative to paper made from wood pulp.
Here are 8 reasons why bamboo makes great paper:
1. Strong
Bamboo has been found to have a tensile strength that is greater than that of even steel. Paper made from bamboo will therefore produce strong paper products.
2. Soft but durable
The long fibre in bamboo contains less dust particles and produces a very soft paper which is a lot softer than most recycled paper products, perfect for practicing calligraphy and brush lettering.
3. Acid-free
The higher the acid content of paper the shorter the life expectancy. Paper becomes increasingly acidic as it ages and is exposed to light and air. Bamboo paper is acid-free, so it can be stored for a lot longer without the risk of becoming brittle or discoloured.
4. Biodegradable
Bamboo fibres decompose naturally without causing harm so they’re safe for all disposal systems.
5. Renewable and sustainable
Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on earth with some species growing more than a metre a day. The plant reaches maturity in 3-5 years, when it is cut, the stem is left in the soil to sprout a new shoot and start the growing process again, making it one of the world’s most sustainable resources.
6. Save trees
Due to the increasing popularity of bamboo the demand for wood pulp in papermaking is lowered and can help save more endangered forests.
7. Prevents soil erosion
Bamboo can do a lot of good for its immediate environment such as soil and water. Bamboo helps prevent soil loss and landslides by preventing erosion.
8. More eco-friendly than recycled paper
Bamboo paper does not contain recycled paper and doesn’t require the same strong chemical treatment needed to produce them. Recycling or processing a tree into paper can take much more water and energy than the process for turning bamboo into paper.
We offer a large range of envelopes made from bamboo paper, have a browse of our white CD/DVD envelopes and our Manilla Gusset Envelopes and let us know what you think, is bamboo paper a better alternative to wood pulp paper?