Can using bamboo pulp for tissue and hygiene products reduce pressure on forests?

Bamboo pulp is a product of the bamboo plant in the form of pure cellulose fibres. The pulp is used to produce different products, from paper and tissue to fabrics.

Read on to learn more about the properties of bamboo pulp and how it can be used for consumer tissue and hygiene products.

What is bamboo pulp?

Bamboo pulp is made of cellulose fibres that come from bamboo plants, and it is produced by well-established processing methods. Like the pulp that comes from trees, bamboo pulp can be used to create different products (such as tissue paper and other hygiene products) by using similar production methods to those used for wood pulp.

In general, to manufacture bamboo pulp, it is important to first reduce finely-chopped bamboo fibres by cooking them under pressure, in a solution that releases bamboo fibres and transforms them into a pulp suspension which is then put through many phases to remove the spent chemicals that were consumed during processing. Finally, the pulp is dried and baled (or reeled up into large rolls) and is then ready to be used.

Bamboo pulp fibres have similar strength levels and length as softwoods such as pine, spruce and fir, which are the most common species of tree used to produce paper-based products. As a result, bamboo pulp is considered to be just as efficient as wood pulp, with added environmental benefits.

Bamboo is a plant that offers economic benefits that can improve the environments in which it is grown and processed. A bamboo forest absorbs greenhouse gases and restores soil function and nutrient levels. Bamboo forests also contribute directly to the UN’s Sustainable Development goals, including Goal 13, which aims to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts in a number of ways.

Bamboo is a great addition to tissue and hygiene products because its fibres (the base component of bamboo pulp) have natural antibacterial qualities as well as a high concentration of long, strong and soft cellulose fibres, which helps to obtain strong, high-quality paper goods.

One of the primary advantages of using bamboo pulp to produce paper is how fast its raw material can be farmed in comparison to soft and hardwood trees. This is because bamboo is the fastest-growing plant in the world. This ensures a consistent, sustainable and reliable production of bamboo pulp for tissue and hygiene products. At the same time, bamboo forests are considered to be incredible bioremediators.

Bamboo Bioproducts

Bamboo Bioproducts will be developing the first bamboo pulp mill in the Western Hemisphere and the first bamboo global market pulp mill producing Bleached Bamboo Sustainable Kraft (BBSK) pulp for the global consumer tissue and personal hygiene industry.

Bamboo Bioproducts believes that innovation comes with the responsibility of maintaining sustainable practices. That is why we are manufacturing the first ever bleached bamboo sustainable kraft, or BBSK. BBSK will be developed from renewably-sourced bamboo and processed using the best available technologies. We will prioritise bringing the finest quality pulp to our industry's global partners and support the communities we work in.

See related article: The Benefits of Bioproducts

Bamboo Bioproducts is dedicated to offering sustainable solutions for global consumers of tissue and personal hygiene products. Find out more information about us here.