Furniture makers lament lack of raw bamboo stock

This interior town is not only the “basket capital” but also the source of well-crafted bamboo furniture that draws tourists every old-fashioned market day on Sunday but its makers and producers expressed concern over the diminishing supply of raw materials.

“Bamboo stands out among woody plants because it possesses unique qualities and offers a wide array of uses,” It has been used as an inexpensive source of housing materials, furniture, handicraft, banana props, fishpens and other innumerable bamboo charcoal products. It is also a source of food and culinary craving. Through the years, bamboo’s uses have largely diversified and benefited many industries.

“Bamboos are a group of woody perennial evergreen plants in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Some of its members are giants, forming by far the largest members of the grass family.”

No one really could tellthe origin of bamboo but legend had it that “the first man and the first woman were split open from a bamboo stem that emerged on an island created after the battle of the elemental forces (Sky and Ocean).” Some 23 of these about a thousand species are said to be endemic in the Philippines.

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Foreign demand grows for bamboo furniture

Viet Nam’s indoor and outdoor furniture industry should remain strong until the year-end on the back of demand from traditional markets, which bounced back after being affected by the global recession, said a report.

Viet Nam’s furniture output is categorised under two segments.The larger line is wooden products, which recorded overseas shipments of US$1.4 billion (S$1.68 billion) in the first five months of this year, an increase of nearly 17 per cent compared to the same period last year.

The other line comprises rattan, carpet, rush and bamboo charcoal products.

From February to May this year, overseas revenue from this line amounted to $83 million, a decline of more than 7 per cent compared with the same period last year.

According to the Viet Nam Timber and Forest Product Association, exports of wooden items, which include furniture, are expected to reach US$4.1 billion by the end of this year, an increase of 24 per cent over last year.

Since Viet Nam’s accession to WTO in 2007, the sector has been one of the 10 leading export-revenue generators of the country, according to the report.

Wooden items were sold to nearly 120 nations and territories, with North America, the EU and the Asia-Pacific region as the key foreign markets, the report said.

For bamboo and rattan pieces, the US and Japan are also the two biggest importers, accounting for $34 million and $29 million, respectively.

An estimated 90 per cent of output is manufactured according to customised specifications. Another major strength of the industry is the widespread availability of certain raw materials, allowing suppliers to source components easily.

In addition, Viet Nam is the world’s sixth largest producer of bamboo charcoal products.

Suppliers typically subcontract a number of procedures to artisans residing in these communities, which have gained years of experience in production techniques.

These competitive advantages have helped Viet Nam secure a niche not just as a major sourcing centre for furniture, but as an attractive option for offshore manufacturing for companies based in other countries.

As a result, expenses for unprocessed bamboo and rattan have surged 10 – 15 per cent over the past 12 months.

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Bamboo is the wonder

The Filipino has always been likened to the bamboo charcoal products, ever resilient, bending to the beatings of the harsh wind but always ready to stand tall again after every beating.

Justice of the Court of Appeals, Chairman of the Commission on Audit – that is how people in Region 8 know and look with awe and respect at Justice Francisco Tantuico, one of the few Eastern Visayans who have reached national stature. To the younger set, they know him to be the man who built a covered court for the tennis enthusiasts, thus saving them from being sunburned and the man behind the tertiary school that provides quality education even to the least privilege students.

Accidentally, however, PIA discovered that despite the busy life he keeps, Justice Tantuico is one of the most avid advocates of Bamboo. Not only does he keep a garden with at least 15 varieties of bamboo, he also lives in a house with interesting faux bamboo furniture and beautified with bamboo-based crafts and decors which are each talking pieces.

Perhaps it was because then Tanauan Mayor now Board Member Roque A. Tiu who set up the first bamboo setum in Eastern Visayas, was with the writer, that former Justice Tantuico showed his most precious bamboo crafts which were made from the various parts of bamboo, from roots to leaves.

One should see the collection of bamboo craft which Justice Tantuico keeps in his office at his newly constructed building – from the simply but elegantly designed bamboo tables, stools, to the intricately sculptured wall decors.

Justice Tantuico revealed about his interest in the bamboo. In fact he is so interested in the bamboo that he has a bamboo garden right at the vicinity of the restaurant and that his bamboo collection counts to about 15 varieties. He even attends international conventions on bamboos.

This might even be more that the collection of DENR in the Region, then Mayor Tiu opined. Tanauan is known for its bamboo craft industry and so to ensure the availability of raw materials, Mayor Tiu thought of setting up the Bamboo setum with the able assistance of the DENR 8.

Bamboo trees abound all over the Region but the people’s knowledge on its uses is very limited, Justice Tantuico said. He mentioned that there are bamboo trees the diameter of which is big enough to be made into a table top. He revealed that there is what is called as the bamboo plywood, plywood made out of bamboo.

The bamboo has many uses: food, medicine, furniture, housing material, decorating with bamboo. It could even be the source of survival in the forest as it is known to have clean water deposits. Since time immemorial, the bamboo is known to prevent soil erosion because its roots spread widely.

In the world meeting atCancun,Mexico, advocates were one in saying that climate summit searching for ways to mitigate climate-changing gas emissions should consider bamboo.

Bamboo grows quickly, needs little water, absorbs carbon dioxide, protects estuaries and can withstand storms.

People scorn the plant and consider it a pest, particularly in areas where coffee, banana, tobacco and cocoa are grown, or where there is extensive cattle production, and yet bamboo, already used in housing, furniture ,bamboo garden structures and other areas, has potential to help in the battle against global warming which is worth looking into.

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An Easy Way to Install Bamboo Flooring Through Bamboo Click Flooring

Individuals and homeowners who love to do things themselves now have ample reasons to be ecstatic. For those who prefer bamboo hardwood floors, bamboo click flooring systems are now available, which allows even a beginner to set up an elegant hardwood floor. This type of flooring system provides many practical consumers or homeowners who are on a tight budget the opportunity to keep from spending too much money on professional installers. They can just do the task of installing bamboo floors on their own and get satisfactory results.

Bamboo click flooring systems are well designed flooring systems that are specifically manufactured to be fitted mainly as a floating flooring system. This kind of flooring systems fit together perfectly piece by piece, very much like a do-it-yourself prefabricated furniture or a jigsaw puzzle. Oftentimes, this type of flooring system requires very little skill level. You do not have to be a master craftsman to put it together.

If the consumer or the homeowner prefers to install the falling themselves, then the obvious option would be to go for bamboo click flooring. It would also be perfect if the subfloor is not designed for nails or glue. The only concern with this type of flooring is if the subflooring is not leveled enough, since this flooring requires a flat surface for it to click together and to keep from bowing and warping. This kind of flooring can basically be placed over an existing flooring and can supposedly be removed without destroying the previous flooring underneath. You can even take it with you if you decide to move.

Dealing with this kind of bamboo flooring needs some sort of preparation, just like any other bamboo flooring installation, for you to have a well-built floor. Before installing, the subfloor must be smoothed and leveled. If there are dips on your subfloor, you might have the most difficult time fitting together your bamboo click flooring. Moisture testing on the subfloors should also be conducted before any bamboo flooring is installed, because the presence of moisture can reek havoc on your bamboo floor.

Furthermore, to keep the noise associated with bamboo click flooring or floating flooring installations, some manufacturers may suggest the addition of a soft underlay material to aid in keeping the noise down. These types of floors are not attached to the subfloor, which is why they tend to produce more noise compared to other types of flooring.

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Fake can be fine if it’s faux‎

Sometimes “fake” is fine in the world of collectors.There are examples of “faux” marble made from plain white marble with a skillfully painted marblelike pattern. One of the most interesting uses of substitute materials dates from the late-19th century. Asian ideas influenced designers then, and bamboo furniture became popular.

Bamboo is soft and flexible, not strong enough for large, heavy pieces, so some American makers began to make faux bamboo from bird’s-eye maple. Bedroom sets that included beds, dressers, small side tables and washstands looked like bamboo charcoal products but actually were maple.

A top-quality furniture company, R.J. Horner of New York, sold many of these sets to upper-class New York City families. This well-made furniture is a bargain today, lower in price than it was five years ago.

Many of the posters included specially-designed type styles that had strangely-shaped letters of different sizes made to fill the space around the other designs. Some were done with fluorescent paint so they glowed under a blacklight. The posters are scarce today because most eventually were discarded. Search your mother’s attic. You may find some of your posters, and even in poor condition they sell for hundreds of dollars or more.

Every Royal Doulton figurine in the huge Harry Nixon series, introduced in 1913, was given an HN number. Nixon (1886-1955) was in charge of the figure-painting department at Royal Doulton’s factory in Burslem, Staffordshire, England. Each of your figurines, if in perfect condition, would sell for about $100 to $300 today.

Instruments meant for export to the U.S. had to be marked with the country of origin after 1891. Beginning in 1957, the words “copy of” were added to labels on some of these violins. Today, some manufacturers make violins using modern techniques that replicate Stradivari’s work and sell for high prices. But most “Stradivarius” violins are poor imitations and don’t sell for much. Prices depend on quality, and range from $50 to $500.

Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the U.S. Prices vary in different locations because of local economic conditions.

Esso Gas & Oil pop gun, fabric pops out that says “Just as Sure as Shootin,’ ” pictures Esso station attendant on both sides, five-digit phone number, 1951, 4 3/4 x 71/2 inches, $50.

Bride’s dress for American Character Toni doll, tulle and taffeta with lace, rosettes on front, white satin cap headpiece with faux pearls, 1950s, fits 20-inch doll, $75.

Waterford crystal water pitcher, Lismore pattern, diamond-and-wedge cut, marked, 6 1/2 x 4 inches, $110.

Lenox “First Waltz” porcelain figurine, long red-and-white dress with large, puffy sleeves, pearl choker necklace, holding feather fan, 8 1/2 inches, $160.

Snow White china tea set, transfers of Snow White and Seven Dwarfs, teapot, sugar, creamer, six cups, saucers and dessert dishes, box, Walt Disney Enterprises, Japan, 1937, $515.

Terry Kovel answers as many questions as possible. By sending a letter with a question, you give full permission for use in the column. We cannot guarantee the return of any photograph, but if a stamped envelope is included, we will try. Write to Kovels, The News-Times, King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th St., New York N.Y. 10019.

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Bamboo For Building The Future

Bamboo charcoal products and other sustainable and renewable resources are becoming noticeably more popular worldwide. Environmental consciousness is no longer a niche area of interest, and as concepts like improved energy efficiency in home design with faux bamboo furniture are coming to be second nature to most people, those with a more far-sighted, and perhaps more committed sense of environmental consciousness are beginning to look seriously at other elements of construction and design that can contribute to a green social landscape.

Bamboo is identified by some as the most useful resource in the world, and together with several other sustainable and renewable resources, it provides the potential to effectively replace wood in all of its various uses. On its own, bamboo certainly stands to be utilized for some of the functions of construction that are usually given to wood by default. In fully industrialized countries, bamboo will rarely stand on its own as the basic construction material, but can play a substantial role in quality construction, especially in light of the multitude of other materials to which we have access, many of which are similarly sustainable. In developing countries, however, where the citizenry presently inhabits simpler homes, bamboo may prove even more acceptable as a main building material. If it does, it can be used both to improve quality and to decrease cost of construction.

In Uganda, treated bamboo materials were recently donated by the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan, for use in part of the construction of two buildings at Makerere University. Persons involved in the project estimate that once bamboo construction materials can be processed locally, it could reduce the cost of building simple homes in Uganda by more than thirty percent. However, they also point out that bamboo has not yet proved popular in that country, because it is viewed as being a material used by the poor. Clearly, though, with such projects as the one at Makerere University, the popularity of the resource is growing, and when persons who stand to benefit from the use of the material recognize that it is not only less expensive, but also provides for genuinely high-quality construction, that popularity will really begin to take off.

 That trend is certainly being observed in the Europe and America, where bamboo, recycled materials, and raw materials from natural sources are becoming more accessible and sought-after for the sake of ecologically sustainable construction. It is always wonderful to see such trends actually catching on. It justifies much hope for a future green society. And as more people take up these alternative resources simply to do the right thing for themselves and their environment, those products and trends become increasingly profitable as well.

Naturally, no such expectations should be taken lightly, but the growth of such opportunities, the availability of investors and leases, the projections for the market and the upsurge in demand for the product itself all signify that there is great confidence in bamboo, and high expectations for its future. It may well be a great investment opportunity, but more than that, there is much reason to expect bamboo to be an increasingly popular resource in our green future, both as a building material and a multipurpose, sustainable resource that can be used for paper, clothing, bedding, and more crafts with bamboo.

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Creating A Bamboo Oasis

As times become more hectic and money to travel is less available, people are choosing to turn their homes into their own sanctuaries.  Many gardens are being designed not only for beauty but also to provide an oasis for the mind and spirit. In particular,  Chinese Garden designs evoke a strong feeling of tranquility and peace of mind.  Chinese garden is all about harmony & balance, as well as using the right components. you can incorporate bamboo into your garden with bamboo garden structures in a variety of ways to exude an extra sense of peace and serenity.

Bamboo Fencing/Borders – Bamboo Fencing and Borders add privacy and block unsightly views.  The strong bamboo plant shields against excessive wind and remains green and exotic looking in your garden.  An added bonus is the melodic whistling that comes with the wind blowing through your bamboo plants.  If planting your own bamboo border, spread the bamboo plants 3 to 5 feet apart to form a dense screen.  Most bamboo plants will reach full height within 5 or 6 years and require very little upkeep once established.  You can even eat the shoots!  If you prefer to install bamboo fencing instead of growing it, there are a variety of options for you to choose from and still enjoy a natural look.

Faux Bamboo Furniture – Bamboo has a straight fine grain like oak wood but is stronger and can endure better in outdoor weather conditions.  It’s pliable enough to be made into variety of designs and lightweight enough to be made into folding chairs that can be stored and moved at your own convenience.  Make sure to look for products finished with natural oils.

Decorating With Bamboo – If growing a border of melodic bamboo is not an option, consider livening up your landscape with a bamboo wind chime.  Available in a variety of designs and sizes, wind chimes are the easiest way to bring a soothing element to your garden.

Bamboo Garden Structures – For those wanting to take their landscaping to the next level, consider installing a Bamboo Gazebo, Pergola or even a Bamboo Bridge.  These are great ways to enjoy your beautiful garden while giving yourself a place for quiet conversation or reflection

A garden with any Chinese design element will be your oasis from this crazy world, giving you a space to reflect, meditate and spend time with friends and family.  Bamboo is a natural and durable design option for the garden you desire (and deserve).

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