The United States cabinetry market may exceed $18 billion with in the next 5 years. That's a lot of cabinetry, and if came from China as most cabinetry does, that's a whole lot of formaldehyde...and who knows what else. The worst part of it all is that these foreign toxins will eventually end up in an American landfill. Now, that's not to say that all the cabinetry made in the U.S. is non-toxic. Often times U.S. cabinetry manufacturers will use materials that contain formaldehyde and other toxins. China has looser standards so the cabinetry from China is possibly far more toxic. All in all, you can get harmful cabinetry that is made almost anywhere in the world. But you'll be happy to know you can also get eco-friendly cabinetry that isn't toxic at all!
Our favorite eco-friendly cabinetry at Paper Plane Co. is definitely bamboo. Bamboo cabinetry has many advantages other than just looking mighty cool. Of course, bamboo is eco-friendly because the bamboo plant is highly sustainable. Did you know that when growers harvest bamboo they cut it off near the bottom of the stalk and then the whole plant just regrows...trees don't do that! Lighter and stronger than wood, bamboo will not wear easily and is great for high traffic areas. It can be stained just like wood and in the end it's easily bio-degradable because it doesn't have any chemicals.
Other eco-friendly cabinetry options being sold today include reclaimed wood, strawboard, and wheatboard. Strawboard and wheatboard are both manufactured from agricultural waste and are completely eco-friendly. The Chinese manufacturer Ronbow manufactures a line of bathroom vanities that are made from strawboard. Otherwise, it's still pretty rare to see these materials used in the manufacturing of cabinetry. Hopefully, the use of these and other eco-friendly materials will continue to expand because our landfills are tapped out on formaldehyde and other toxins.
I've heard that most bamboo is sourced from China, and to keep up with global demand they have to clear-cut vast forests, destroying ecosystems, to create the bamboo farms. Is this true?
ReplyDeleteHi, thanks for the question. I'm not a bamboo specialist but it is hard for me to imagine bamboo could grow from the same land as a tree forest, well at least not effectively. It's my understanding that if bamboo is not grown in its natural environment it wouldn't create the type of bamboo product needed to make bamboo flooring or bamboo plywood. That’s why most of the bamboo used to make building materials comes from Asia. Nevertheless, I believe the answer to your question is probably no, but I surely couldn't say it's never happened. I can tell you the eco-friendly bamboo that Paper Plane Co. supplies comes from the Anji Bamboo Growing Garden in China. Anji Garden is a series of large bamboo grooves that have never been a forest, well at least not since the dinosaurs. The Anji Garden is where a large portion of the world's bamboo has naturally grown, been harvested, grown again for a few years, harvested again, and on and on. The bamboo plants ability to rapidly renew and its elevated carbon intake are what make it one of the most eco-friendly building materials on the planet. I think it would be safe to say the use of bamboo as a building material would actually help to reduce deforestation in the world, contrary to say wood cabinetry. Best regards, Jay
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