Nature Positive and BAM investigate the sustainability of bamboo

We are delighted to announce that BAM, the leading bamboo clothing company, has chosen Nature Positive to be its biodiversity consultancy. Together, we will be working to champion the benefits of bamboo, but also to challenge that perception and drill deep into any potential effects on the natural world.

Bamboo sequesters five times more carbon than the same volume of hardwood trees and most of that is sequestered into the root system and returned to the soil. As bamboo is a grass, it can be harvested without uprooting the whole plant – just like cutting a lawn. The roots, and all that lovely carbon, stay in the ground, and the health of the soil, the surrounding habitat and the biodiversity it supports are all protected. Many bamboos are also very vigorous and grow quickly without the need for pesticides or fertilisers. This makes bamboo a great choice compared with many other textiles, and is why BAM, whose whole ethos is about sustainable fashion, has been using it for 15 years.

Impacting natural habitats close to the supply chain

BAM does not want to be complacent and is aware that the natural habitats in the areas close to its suppliers are sensitive, with many rare and endangered species. Together, we will be examining in more detail any impacts on biodiversity through the BAM supply chain and looking at exactly where the company’s bamboo is grown, its processing plants and dye houses, to get a full picture of the sustainability of the fibre. This year, COVID-19 permitting, we are planning to be in China for the 16^th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, so we will be using that opportunity to survey bamboo forests, visit factories and give sustainability advice right through the value chain.

As David Gordon, founder of BAM, said,

We want to prove it’s possible for a clothing company to be Impact Positive. This is about more than sustainability. It means finding a way to be truly regenerative and not depleting the earth’s resources. We will champion the use of bamboo as a solution to the land-use crisis while ensuring the industry follows best practice for the health of the ecosystem. The environment is our highest priority. It’s what we got into business for in the first place.

Nature Positive Managing Director, Stephanie Wray, stated,

We are very excited to be working with such an ethical brand and to really make a difference in an industry that traditionally has significant sustainability issues.

If Nature Positive could help your brand to understand its impacts and dependence on the natural environment, contact us: enquiries@naturepositive.com.