Consumables

EcoPlanet Bamboo Acquires FSC Certification, Enabling Supply of a Sustainable Alternative Fiber to US & Multinational Manufacturing Industries

Friday 16. November 2012 - EcoPlanet Bamboo has become the first Company to obtain Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification for plantations of tropical clumping bamboo.

Although certified plantations of Moso, the Chinese “running” bamboo, occur, much debate exists over the application of the FSC to bamboo, given that the plant is technically a grass, and exhibits unique ecological growth patterns to trees. EcoPlanet Bamboo believes that the FSC Principles of sustainable forest management are not only applicable, but provide a guarantee that consumers both trust, and value.
Producing the same volume of biomass within a single hectare as 5+ hectares of traditional timber plantations, maintaining a continuous and permanent canopy cover despite sustainable harvesting, and the ability to be grown under the right management on low value land, the commercialization of tropical clumping bamboos, such as EcoPlanet Bamboo’s Guadua aculeata provide a win-win solution for growing global timber markets.
Recent market analysis indicates that the majority of US based timber manufacturers complain that FSC certified material is scarce and a secure supply hard to source. Further issues relating to quality and consistency of supply when sourcing from China are frequent. Through this recent certification by Rainforest Alliance of EcoPlanet Bamboo’s Central American plantations, the Company has overcome these issues, ensuring that a long term supply of FSC certified fiber is available for the US & Multinational manufacturing industries.
“Some of the largest global consumers of our Planet’s forest, including manufacturing firms like Weyerhaeuser, Georgia Pacific, IKEA and Kimberly Clark, have recently made sizeable public commitments to improved environmental sustainability and a commitment to reduce deforestation through the sourcing of responsibly harvested fiber. As global leaders in their industry EcoPlanet Bamboo applauds them and is now in a better position to be part of their solution,” says Troy Wiseman, EcoPlanet Bamboo CEO.