Photo by Lamboo, Inc.
It’s not just Green Earth Bamboo that sees the value of using the sustainable bamboo plant in their business. Lamboo Inc., also based in Illinois, creates “high performance bamboo product that is used within architectural, structural and design applications.” The diversity of bamboo is on display with both of these companies – not only can bamboo be made into a luxurious material for bamboo clothing but it is also strong enough to be used as a building material! Used for everything from schools to cathedrals, emergency shelters to bridges, bamboo is flexible yet mighty enough to support any project. Lamboo uses bamboo for structural beams to interior panels to its newest product, the Lamboo Tender.
Officially known as the Lamboo Tender R1, it is a small vessel that will ferry supplies and passengers between larger ships (i.e. – yacht, barges) to smaller ships. Lamboo bamboo products were chosen by Sigmund Yacht Design for this project because of the strength and performance of their existing laminated bamboo products. Lamboo has isolated 4 bamboo species (out of 1000+ options) for use in manufacturing and it is on average 20% more stable than traditional wood in moisture and temperature changes, 10 times stronger than traditional wood in tension and 3 times stronger mechanically.
And like many other communities in the United States such as Utah and Georgia, Illinois is seeing the benefit of both the environmental and economic benefits of utilizing bamboo.
Lamboo’s website touts the fast-growing plant as a highly renewable and versatile resource and even notes its role in helping reduce our carbon footprint by producing 30% more oxygen than a similar size of timber forest. Lamboo also boasts of other environmentally conscious practices including:
- A manufacturing process that uses 15% less embodied energy than that of engineered wood.
- A manufacturing process that utilizes 300% embodied energy than processes using aluminum and steel.
Economically speaking, Lamboo is earning praise and accolades from its community. Lamboo was recently nominated for the 2012 Chicago Innovation Awards and Governor’s Sustainability Award and earlier this year, it won the Springfield Project Innovation Award.
Mayor Sal Garza said Lamboo is an example of the innovative, sustainable businesses the city is working to attract to the region.
“Companies like Lamboo will help grow and diversify our industrial base, and create jobs,” he said. “I’m extremely proud of this company. It’s American innovation at its finest.”
For those not in the market for engineering supplies and a Lamboo Tender, indulge in Fall Fashions made with the soft and sustainable bamboo fabric!
