You've probably heard of bamboo furniture at some point. It's becoming increasingly common to have bamboo furniture in homes - not just because they are a style statement (which they are slowly becoming!) but also for the various benefits of bamboo furniture.
So why is bamboo furniture so hyped? Is it worth getting bamboo furniture for your office space, or are you better off sticking to the usual natural wood?
Bamboo Furniture - The Pros
Let's look at some of the advantages of bamboo furniture that make it a better option than other types.
Environmental Benefits
Bamboo is often lauded for its benefits to the environment, and this is something that is definitely a bonus. With climate change and the call to becoming more eco-friendly, bamboo furniture allows you to do just that without sacrificing on your furniture needs.
Bamboo is technically a type of grass, as is actually the largest member of this family. Bamboo is capable of growing in pretty much any sort of climate - from cold, mountainous regions to hotter, tropical areas, you can find bamboo pretty much everywhere.
In fact, bamboo has about a thousand different types of species, and these can actually grow so big that they can look like trees. Bamboo plants are notable for their jointed stems and the regularity of their nodes.
The fact bamboo is a grass means that it grows very fast. This means that even if you were to cut down a bamboo tree, it will grow at a much faster rate than any other sort of tree you could use for wood. As an example, some species of the bamboo plants can grow up to 36 inches every day.
This means that bamboo trees can reach their full height in just about 4 or 5 years, which is not very much compared to the 10-15 years it takes for so many other plants. That means that you can harvest bamboo every 5 years and get ample wood, and you don't see the number of bamboo decreasing either, because of how fast they grow.
The best part is that you don't have to replant the tree after harvest either. It grows from its own root system, and multiplies on its own. Because you don't need to dig out the tree by the root to harvest it, the soil remains undisturbed.
On top of that, bamboo plants are not picky about the soil or environment they grow in. They have a very high tolerance for various kinds of soils - even the land that has no value in agriculture otherwise. It doesn't need pesticides or fertilizers, nor does it need irrigation. The tree is self-sufficient as well, and doesn't need any particular aids to grow.
Reduced Carbon Footprint
Besides just being excellent from a sustainability perspective, bamboo also has another impact on the environment - they can help reduce the global carbon footprint. Because bamboo plants generate high levels of oxygen and absorb high levels of carbon dioxide from the environment, they can reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses trapped in the atmosphere.
In fact, bamboo generally produces about 35% more oxygen than other types of trees, and can reduce carbon dioxide levels by about 12 tons per year.
All of that, plus the fact that bamboo being used for furniture will reduce the amount of tree-felling for other types of trees will also help with reducing CO2 levels from the air and minimize pollution.
Bamboo is Durable
Bamboo is a grass - but it's a very tough grass. It can be hard to imagine bamboo having any kind of strength, but in reality it is one of the hardest woods available in the industry. While bamboo has a shorter lifespan than most other types of woods, the furniture made out of it is treated, and can last for many years and withstand a lot of wear and tear.
In fact, bamboo's durability can be attested to by the fact that cutting boards for culinary use are often made out of bamboo because it can last so long and stay resistant to scratches. It is also frequently used in the construction industry for building structures and flooring.
Not just that, but despite all that strength, bamboo is actually very lightweight. If you're worried that your bamboo furniture will be stuck in one place because of how much strength it has packed into it, don't worry! The material has a higher strength-to-weight ratio, and despite the illusion that power = mass, bamboo is actually very light and easy to move around.
Beyond that, it's also very resistant to other problems you'd frequently face when dealing with wooden furniture, such as insects, moisture and fungus. Bamboo furniture is often treated to prevent these problems, but is also very resistant to them on its own.
Aesthetics
On top of all the amazing benefits of bamboo furniture, it also has a lot of aesthetic value. Not only is bamboo good material for furniture, it also has an elegant vibe that can add to the overall vibe of the room.
This makes it extra appealing because having elegant furniture in your office can boost your productivity because it makes you feel good about yourself.
Easy to Maintain
Because of its resistance to wear and tear, insects, stains, moisture and scratches, you don't actually have to do very much to maintain your bamboo furniture. By investing in good furniture from reliable brands, you can rest assured that the technology used to preserve the bamboo has made sure to keep it safe without compromising on any of its natural beauty.
All you really need to do to protect your furniture is to wipe it down every day so that you can get rid of dust and grime, and keep it looking beautiful.
Bamboo Desks for Your Office Space
Now that you're aware of the benefits of bamboo furniture, what are some good bamboo desks you can get for your office space?
FlexiSpot's Kana Bamboo Standing Desk
The Kana Bamboo Standing Desk is your best bet.
This is a standing desk, which means that it doesn't just come with all the benefits of being bamboo, it also has all the benefits of a standing desk.
For example, it can help with correcting your posture and reducing the negative effects of sitting, while giving you the option to stretch your legs while you work. The height adjustment option doesn't just have to do with standing though - you can also use the desk while sitting, but adjusted for height so that you are positioned in the best possible manner.
The desk also comes with an advanced keypad that lets you see the height at which your desk is set, and move it up and down with ease. There is also a sit-stand reminder that alerts you if you've been sitting for too long so you can stand up. Not only is it good for the environment, but also good for your body!
You can also program the heights that work for you into the memory slots so that you don't have to fiddle around with the settings every time you want to adjust between sitting and standing.
The frame of this desk is highly customizable, with everything from leg sections, weight capacity and height range coming with choices for you to pick from. This way, you get to decide what works best for you and pick accordingly.
The desk has a robust and powerful structure with a dual motor lifting system that allows you to move the desk to your desired position and height without having to do anything. The motor is very quiet and makes minimal noise when moving so you don't end up disturbing other people in the room.
The structure is also very sturdy and stable, which provides maximum stability to the desk even when it's at its highest setting so you don't have to worry about your things falling over.
From a sustainability perspective, the Kana desk is chemical-free and only uses aldehyde-free glue. This makes it better for the environment and also much healthier to be around.
The Kana desk also contributes to the environment! For every desk purchased, FlexiSpot donates to onetreeplanted.org, thus adding more bamboo trees in the environment.