To understand why Smith Fong Bamboo bamboo products are a “green” choice, one must first understand a bit about the bamboo from which they are made. Smith&Fong Co. makes its bamboo flooring, plywood, and veneers from Moso bamboo (Pyllostachys hedrocycla pubescens).

There are well over a thousand species of bamboo. Each of varying heights, thicknesses, and applicable uses. Out of all of the types of bamboo, bamboo flooring, veneers, and plywood are all made out of Moso. It’s thickness in diameter, overall hardness, widespread availability and extreme height make it one of the most commercially viable species for construction. It is appropriately called “timber bamboo” and makes an excellent candidate for building materials. It grows quickly (reaching 25mm an hour in a 24 hour period), and is fully mature and ready to harvest in 5 years. Compare that to 20 to 120 years for various hardwoods. Moso bamboo, when at maturity is incredibly strong.

Because Moso grows so quickly, 20% of the bamboo forest canopy can be harvested annually leaving behind 80%. Over a five year period, 100% of the forest can be sustainably harvested. An added assurance that the canopy will be left intact — only mature bamboo culms (poles) are heavy enough to get a good price at market. It isn’t advantageous to cut too often or too young, which benefits the farmer and the environment because it is never over-harvested. An extra advantage to this system is that bamboo does not need to be replanted once harvested; it regenerates annually.

All of this is why bamboo is considered to be a rapidly renewable resource. However, there are other factors that make this a superb choice as your current or future floor. In its native environment, Moso bamboo doesn’t need irrigation or fertilizers. Since this particular species (and so many others) is naturally resistant to pests, it doesn’t need pesticides. That means no harmful pesticide run off into the local environment or any other chemicals are involved in the growth process.