Bamboo display

A bamboo display is a display with a support structure made out of bamboo.
Bamboo displays are one of the many eco-friendly alternatives to less eco-conscious products such as aluminum displays. One use of Bamboo displays is in visual merchandising. The distinctive look helps attract potential client's attention to the store window, banners and displays inside the retail outlets.
History
Bamboo has been used to make simple shelves for hundreds of years. However it has not been widely used in shop-displays until mid 2010's.
Bamboo has enjoyed a revival in the new millennium. The bamboo bicycle for example was invented in 1895 and then largely forgotten until 1996 when Calfee Design made a modern version. Calfee bikes are exhibited by using bamboo bicycle stands instead of metal ones. These stands are another example of bamboo displays.
Bamboo displays are a way for retailers to cash-in on bamboo's current eco-friendly cachet. Notable modern bamboo displays include bamboo banner stands, and exhibition equipment. Another popular form of the bamboo display it to use a ladder and hang scarfs over each step. This same method is also used in some hotel bathrooms to hang towels.
Bamboo Banner Stands
One popular form of the modern bamboo displays are advertising banner stands. They come in many models by a range of manufacturers. Differences among the models are the way the banners are connected and various graphic sizes. Most aluminum and plastic banner stands are also available made from bamboo.
Some displays are made from natural tube and others from laminated bamboo board. An example of a bamboo displays from natural tube is the bamboo roll-up/pull-up banner stand. When not in use the graphic is rolled onto a spring-mechanism inside the banner stand. This model is of special significance because it uses the natural round and hollow shape of the bamboo. Using the natural form of the raw-material reduces processing steps. This helps lower the environmental impact of the product.
Technical aspects
Different methods exist to make bamboo displays. Some products are made from the natural bamboo tube, while others are made from bamboo laminate board. The laminated bamboo board is very similar to the one used to make bamboo floor.
Harvesting is a very important factor. The timing and processing of bamboo is crucial to making a durable bamboo product. Generally it is best to avoid cutting bamboo during the wet season. In spring bamboo is growing fast and the water content is high. During dry season water content is lower, which decreases the risk of bamboo developing cracks after being harvested. These same rules apply to laminated board. Although laminated board is much more processed than the round sticks, it still follows the same principles. Laminated board made from bamboo cut in spring will be of inferior quality. It has an increased risk of mold and will not be as hard and durable as board made from bamboo cut in dry season.
Different methods exist to laminate the boards and the most important differences are the quality of the glue and bamboo pieces that are used to make the board. If the bamboo pieces are of inferior quality then that can result in hollow spaces in the finished board. Another important aspect of the bamboo laminate is the layers and orientation of the fibers. The processes used to make bamboo laminate boards are basically the same as when manufacturing engineered wood. In lower quality products twin layer boards are used. Higher quality products use triple layer cross-laminate boards. The main advantage of cross-laminates is their increased durability. A trip layer cross laminate board is much less likely to split, when compared to a twin layer single orientation board.
Controversy
Not every bamboo product is necessarily green. Sourcing and manufacturing are all important aspects to consider. It is important where and how the bamboo is harvested and processed. To be a really green product the bamboo displays must be made in a clean and ethical factory. The issues of green characteristics of bamboo wood and different viewpoints are nicely explained in the article about bamboo floor. Bamboo is also increasingly used to make bamboo textiles. Bamboo textiles face a similar discussion about their eco-credentials. That is mostly because the bamboo fibers are chemically processed into cellulose during manufacturing.
Benefits of the bamboo plant are that it grows faster than trees. Bamboo doesn't need to be replanted when cut. The root system is kept intact and will produce another shoot. This is one of the main differences between a bamboo forest and a forest with trees. It is also one reason, why the FSC certificate as of today is not perfectly suited for bamboo forests. Forest Stewardship Council certification requires that shoots are planted after harvesting. In a bamboo forest this in not necessary. Bamboo material is not sustainable if it comes from large mono culture forests. Bamboo is only truly eco-friendly, when it is harvested in a sustainable manner from a forest that has a mix of bamboo plants and other trees.

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