Import From China Business
A practical guide for starting a small business
2010-
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What’s New!
China Imports
February 2012
Costume Jewelry
December 2011
Bamboo Towels
November
2011
Bamboo Flooring
November 2011
China Economy
November 2011
Ivory
October 2011
Wigs
October
2011
Drop Ship
September 2011
Photography Equipment
September 2011
Medical Supplies
September
2011
Ginseng
August 2011
Acupuncture
August 2011
Chinese Tea
August 2011
Chinese Herbs
August
2011
Trade Leads
August 2011
China Adoption
July 2011
Bamboo Flooring
Bamboo Flooring Popularity
Bamboo Flooring is the "It Floor Du Jour' because it is green and environmentally
friendly. One of the fastest growing home design trends is Bamboo Flooring.
Even
though it is a grass, bamboo has a hollow stem that is similar to a tree trunk. People
have discovered many uses for bamboo. Entire houses, paper and flute are some of
the things made out of bamboo in China.
Other applications especially within the United States market include bamboo flooring, bamboo kitchen countertops and bamboo fabric. The bamboo cloth is said to be allergy free. Bamboo flooring has become a global business even though it is primarily manufactured and imported from China.
Bamboo Historical Overview
Bamboo has a long history in its uses for building design. The Chinese built bamboo suspended bridges during the Shang Dynasty from 1766 to 1122 ABD. The strong external part of the bamboo was used to create tension cables up to 120 meters in length.
Bamboo bridges can also be found in India and in South America (the Incas). Due to the material's lightweight and strength, it is no wonder that Bamboo has been used make boats and planes. Bamboo has been proven to be a great building material for smaller buildings, roofs, wall studs, furniture and bamboo floors.
The Global Bamboo Flooring Market
The demand for Bamboo Flooring has become global with the greatest interest coming from the U.S., Europe and Asia. The popularity of Bamboo Flooring is due to the green movement searching for a renewable product.
Bamboo and its by product, Bamboo Flooring also has a cultural influence. Not only is it strong and resilient, but bamboo is also considered to bring good luck. Bamboo Hardwood competitors can be found around the globe including the U.S., Canada, Netherlands, Philippines, Indonesia and China. Most Bamboo Hardwood companies are relatively small operating with a few employees.
Bamboo Floors Manufacturing
Bamboo is considered a sustainable and renewable resource due to the plant's rapid
growth. As a grass, bamboo is ready to be harvested in 3 years compared to hardwood
which requires 25 years to grow. Bamboo can grow as much as 24 inches in 24 hours.
Sixty four percent of the world's supply of bamboo comes from Southeast Asia. Another
thirty-
Bamboo Flooring is manufactured from cut and laminated bamboo glued together to form individual planks. Bamboo Flooring comes in either strip (less than 3 inches wide) or laminated plank (3 inches or wider) widths with tongue and groove edges. It is installed in a similar manner as other solid wood flooring. Bamboo Flooring can be made in different thicknesses and colors with a protective finish or left natural unfinished. Baking the bamboo planks for a longer period of time can darken the finish.
Bamboo Flooring Pros and Cons
There are a number of Bamboo Flooring Pros and Cons.
Pros of Bamboo Flooring.
- A Bamboo Floor can be as hard as a maple floor.
- Bamboo Flooring is also more stable and 25% harder than flooring from red oak.
Bamboo Flooring Cons
Although Bamboo Flooring sounds like the perfect material, there are Bamboo Flooring cons.
- Exposure to sunlight will cause bamboo to darken over time.
- Although the bamboo material is hard and durable, it is susceptible to moisture and can be easily scratched.
- There are toxic chemicals used in the manufacturing process such as resins or urea-
based adhesives for the laminating process. - Some glues used to laminate bamboo may include formaldehyde.
- As a green product, LEED points are deducted due to the long distances required to import the bamboo. Emissions from transportation vehicles make importing bamboo a less green product.
- The bamboo plant itself is considered invasive in nature.
China's Bamboo Flooring Industry
China's Bamboo Flooring industry with its 100 to 200 bamboo manufacturers is still
a small segment of China's overall wood flooring industry. Many operations are semi-
Most of the Bamboo for the Bamboo Flooring industry comes from the Hunan province of China.
Hunan XiangZhu
Hunan XiangZhu Bamboo and Wood Product Co., Ltd., located in Hengyang, Hunan Province
is a leading bamboo flooring manufacturer in South China. The company has 500 employees
with 10 sub-