Protecting Panda Habitats is of the Utmost Importance When Harvesting Bamboo. Moso Bamboo is Panda Friendly.
BedVoyage welcomes guest blogger: Greenington.com. We’ve partnered with them by displaying our bamboo linens at their tradeshow events. You can see their furniture and our linens at their showrooms in Las Vegas, NV and Highpoint, NC showrooms.
We often get asked about whether our Greenington bamboo furniture is part of the decline in panda habitat, declining food sources, and their endangerment. ‘No, its not’ we can proudly say, as we don’t use the food they like in the making of our furniture.
Here’s why:
Fact 1: Not All Types of Bamboo are Eaten by Pandas
The image of a panda happily eating bamboo comes to mind when most of us think of pandas. Bamboo is the main food source for Giant Pandas. We’re very concerned about protecting panda habitats, and not deforesting their natural food source. Therefore we don’t harvest from any areas of their food sources.
Bamboo is 99 percent of their food, which is one reason they’re relatively low-energy animals. Panda’s eat between 20 to 40 pounds of plant material per day, this derives enough nutrients for them. source: National Geographic Check out our page on Why Bamboo Sheets, to learn more about why we chose this amazing grass/stalk to make our furniture.
There are many different types of bamboo, however not all are eaten by pandas. Pandas like eating arrow bamboo, black bamboo, and ‘water bamboo’. Greenington’s products are made only from Moso bamboo, Moso Bamboo is Panda Friendly. The official term is Phyllostachys pubescens. This is not one of the types of bamboo that pandas eat, nor live amongst. BedVoyage uses this same Moso bamboo in the making of all of their luxury bamboo linens.
Fact 2: Location Matters:
Th wild panda used to live throughout southern and eastern China, as well as neighboring Myanmar and northern Vietnam. Most of the remaining wild pandas now live in the Minshan and Qinling mountains in South Central China. Moso Bamboo is Panda Friendly.
Moso bamboo, the only kind we use in our products, grows in the lower elevations and far from panda mountain habitats. Pandas neither eat it, nor use it for making their homes, therefore its a panda-friendly bamboo for us to use.
Fact 3: Certified Safe
While we’re grateful that pandas were deemed no longer endangered in 2016, they’re far from in the clear as a species. Industrialization, hunting and poaching continue to threaten their survival. As conditions and needs for pandas are evolving, we recognize the need to ensure that our source materials and harvesting methods remain sustainable. Its important that we look at this as not just a renewable product, but also as a responsible part of the overall ecosystem.
This is one of the reasons we’re proud to say our factories are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, recognized by the World Wide Fund for Nature. Also known as WWF, formerly the World Wildlife Fund, dedicated to the survival of pandas since its inception in 1961. They’re the world’s leading certification agency for sustainable and responsibly managed forests of every kind.
We love pandas and are very committed to their survival. Additionally, we love making beautiful, high quality, sustainable furniture for your enjoyment. Neither of which will ever change. Our customers can trust that when choosing a Greenington product, they’re getting the best in eco-friendly furniture, for their home and the planet.
BedVoyage also uses Moso Bamboo for their Bed and Bath Collection:
BedVoyage mirrors the sentiment of Greenington as we love Pandas too! We’re also proud to say that our linens are made from organically grown Moso Bamboo and are Panda Friendly. Our linens are only made from bamboo that is farmed, not taken from natural forests. Panda-Friendly means that we don’t harvest out of their natural habitats. When you purchase BedVoyage eco-luxury bamboo bedding and bath linens, you can rest assured that we’ve not disturbed a single Panda!