Bamboo has to be one of the most versatile materials known to man. In Asia alone, it is used for a multitude of purposes. Food, access equipment, building materials, furniture, cooking utensils to name but a few, and of course Crafts.
Did you know that the termites living in and feeding off Bamboo are such a resilient bunch, the measures required to eliminate them are incredibly extreme. Size dependant of course, but to ensure against infestation within Crafts and furniture, the raw material is submerged in water for 1 to 7 days, then, literally ‘oven baked’ for 2 to 30 days, at a constant temperature of 50-70 degrees ‘C’. Approximately 80% of the moisture is extracted, the ‘Bugs’ should have expired, and if that weren’t enough insurance, the material is then treated with a fungicidal solution to prevent re-infestation.
So why use it, when there must be easier, less hassle materials? Well that’s simple, look at the end results. Few materials available offer such character in the finished product, from the varying lengths between cells, to the unique alignment of each piece.
These production images are courtesy of My GallerAsia’s associate ‘Johnny’ & his modest family business. He has been designing and manufacturing Bamboo items for the past 15 years. From ‘Chinese fans’ to ‘trays’ & ‘table sets’, through to ‘handbags’ and exquisite full ‘lounge suites’. Many of the regional Bamboo Crafts available, are actually produced by his family. Johnny and I are also looking at producing some exclusive future designs for My GallerAsia.
'Unusual' Ethnic Arts & Crafts Presented By Ian D. Laidlow
