In order to reduce my contact with plastic, I have been researching products made locally of bamboo, as an alternative to plastic, but why bamboo?
My journey towards a more sustainable lifestyle started whilst living in Hanoi, Vietnam. One of my personal aims was to avoid unnecessary contact with chemicals in my daily life by reducing my contact with plastic.
WE ALL LITERALLY CONSUME TOO MUCH PLASTIC
There is plastic in the food we eat, the water we drink and even the air we breathe. Due to its convenience, plastic is used for almost everything; from single-use plastic bags, kitchen utensils, food wrap, storage containers to packaged food, even most milk containers and cardboard cartons are also covered with plastic. Many chemical additives that give plastic products desirable performance properties have negative effects on human health. People are exposed to toxic chemicals and plastic particles, called microplastics, whilst using plastic, as some toxic chemicals can leach from the plastic packaging and containers to the foods they contain.
Examples of plastics contaminating food have been reported with most plastic types, including Styrene from polystyrene, plasticizers from Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), antioxidants from polyethylene, and Acetaldehyde from Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET). Studies have shown that regular exposure with these chemicals that come from plastic can cause cancers, leukemia, impaired immunity, birth defects and endocrine disruption. Endocrine disrupters can mimic or interfere with the body’s hormones, and are linked with developmental, reproductive, brain, immune, and other problems.
BPA (bisphenol A) is an industrial chemical that is commonly used in plastic food containers, water bottles, baby bottles, and on the inner lining of canned food containers to keep the metal from corroding and breaking. Several studies have reported on the transfer of this compound to food. BPA is considered an endocrine disruptor and several studies have proposed a relationship between exposure to BPA and the appearance of adverse health effects, such as cancer, infertility, diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s, arthritis, impotency, obesity, and may even harm babies in the womb.
In order to reduce my contact with plastic, I have been researching products made locally of bamboo, as an alternative to plastic, but why bamboo?
Bamboo is a fast-growing and typically woody bamboo grass that grows in warm, humid climates, especially throughout southern Asia. Bamboo thrives in a wide range of climates from low wetlands to higher elevations in the mountains and can grow in arid regions where droughts cause other crops to fail.
So if you are looking for bamboo products in Hanoi, Hoi An or Danang here is a list of products and places you can buy them:
HANOI:
Bamboo Village Shop: Provides a wide variety of interior décor items made of bamboo. 108 Xuân Diệu, Tây Hồ, Hà Nội.
Bamboo Straws Vietnam: The company is based in Thanh Hoa Village where the bamboo is grown and they also have a shop in Long Bien, Hanoi. They sell a range of bamboo products including straws, cutlery and toothbrushes. 25 Ngoc Thuy Road, Long Bien District, Hà Nội.
Clever Changes: This company believe that small changes make a big impact. They aim to provide eco-friendly products for a sustainable lifestyle that limits waste, especially disposable plastic waste. They sell a range of bamboo products including toothbrushes, luffas, brushes, kitchen paper towels made of non-woven bamboo fabric, in a bamboo holder and straws. Lane 21, 221 Hoàng Hoa Thám, Ba Đình, Hà Nội.
Green Life: This is an environmental project created by students, with the aim of exchanging plastic for trees and providing green living solutions. They sell a range of natural, organic and recycled products, including bamboo and also have a refill station. P306, stairs 2 A3 Collective, Lane 128C, Dai La, Dong Tam, Hà Nội.
Green Gem Shop: The Green Gem Shop promotes and raises awareness about reducing, reusing and recycling. They sell eco-and upcycled products including bamboo toothbrushes. All proceeds help fund Keep Hanoi Clean activities. 2nd floor, 587 Lac Long Quan, Xuan La, Tây Hồ, Hà Nội.
Jardon Natural Products: The Betterday Fairtrade & Organic Shop sells a range of fairtrade, organic & natural products including bamboo handicraft products. 114 Xuân Diệu, Tây Hồ, Hà Nội.
Naturally Vietnam Shop: The shop sells bamboo chopping boards, straws and cutlery sets. During the weekend market stallholders also sell other items including bamboo cups and water bottles. Number 4, Lane 67/12 Tô Ngoc Vân, Tây Hồ, Hà Nội.
Reusable Bags: The shop sells a wide variety of bamboo products from water bottles, soap trays, cutlery, cleaning brushes, cups, straws and toothbrushes as well as a range of glass containers with bamboo lids. 62/52 To Ngoc Van, Tây Hồ, Hà Nội.
Xom Chuong Chim This is a cooperative of brands selling sustainable products including bamboo toothbrushes. Located inside the Syrena Shopping Centre, 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Hà Nội.
Zero Waste Hanoi: This is an organic grocery store which sells a range of eco-friendly products including bamboo steamers, trays, straws and window blinds. Their aim is to build a Zero Waste community in Hanoi. No. 10, Lane 192, corner 66 Le Trong Tan street, Thanh Xuan & No. 38, Alley 203 Blaze Pagoda, Dong Da, Hà Nội.
HOI AN
Refillables: This is central Vietnam’s first refillable concept store, located in the historic city of Hoi An. Refillables is a one-stop-shop providing locally sourced eco-friendly household and personal care products including bamboo flasks, cutlery sets, tea strainers, straws, toothbrushes and cleaning brushes. Hamlet 5, Cam Thanh, Hoi An.
DA NANG
No Waste To Go: This shops sells a wide range of locally produced refillable food and food ingredients, cleaning and body care products and a small selection of bamboo products including toothbrushes and bamboo dental floss. 86 An Hai 6, Son Tra, Da Nang.
Refillin good: This is a home-run business selling a range of dried goods and liquid refills as well as a small range of bamboo products such as toothbrushes, soap dishes, combs and cultery sets. 6th Floor, The Summit, Son Tra Ocean View, Da Nang.
ONLINE STORES
Bamboo Life: This company sells a range of bamboo products from clocks, teapots, kitchen utensils, cups, flowerpots and thermos bottles.
Bamboo Village: Originating from bustling artisanal villages in the heart of Vietnam, Phu Vinh is where you can buy a selection of lifestyle items for decorative use.
Bamboo Handcraft Product of Viet Nam: Bamboo Handcraft Product of Viet Nam is based in the Bamboo Village which has had a handmade tradition since 1940. They design and produce bamboo products for kitchen use and home decoration. Products include salad bowls, trays, pet beds, cutlery and vases.
Eco-er Saigon: Eco-er Saigon, specializes in trading and distributing user-friendly products made from 100% natural materials such as bamboo.
Eco Shop Vietnam: Eco Shop Vietnam is a group of people from around the world and from different fields of profession, but with one aim in mind, to try to preserve the beauty of Vietnam and help local people to reduce their single use plastic. They sell bamboo cotton buds, reuseable straws and toothbrushes.
Lau Bamboo Products: Located in Nghe An, Lau Bamboo Products ship worldwide and specialise in customised products that can be engraved with your name or company logo. Products range from straws, bamboo cups, sets of tablewares, bracelets, bamboo toothbrushes and thermos flasks made of 100% Organic Bamboo which are vacuum insulated which locks in the temperature to preserve flavour and freshness and to keep beverages hot and cold for 8-10 hours.
Oriental Home: Oriental Home Co, Ltd designs and produces a wide range of handcrafted coiled bamboo gifts, tableware and decorative home décor accessories and gift items.
Vietnam Eco Products: Vietnam Eco Products specialize in producing and providing bamboo products such as bamboo straws, bamboo cutlery, cups, chopsticks, pens, bottles, vases ad thermos flasks. Products are handmade in Vietnam, and do not use chemicals.
Vitracraft: Vitracraft is a Vietnamese manufacturer and exporter of traditional ecological products that are made by experienced artisans. The materials they use are green, available in nature and are environmentally-friendly. They sell colourful lacquerware bowls, drinking straws, cutlery sets, mini bamboo wooden spoons, salad bowl sets, lacquer boxes and bamboo drinking bottles.
If you’re living outside Vietnam but want to buy bamboo, here are a couple of places I recommend:
WORLDWIDE
Bambu: Bamboo toilet paper is 100% vegan and cruelty-free, created with zero chemicals, bleach or plastic and no emulsifying agents. They also provide carbon-neutral shipping in Australia and every single roll is individually wrapped in paper and shipped out in cardboard, all recyclable, planet-friendly materials, which also makes Bambu completely plastic-free. For every order Bambu plants a native tree in fire-affected regions of NSW. Partnering with One Tree Planted Bambu actively supports the revegetation of degraded farmlands and areas affected by the 2020 bushfires. A portion of their profits go directly towards protecting and restoring this land, rebuilding habitats for native species and giving back to the Earth.
Banish: Founded by Lottie Dalziel in 2018, Banish aims to help Australian’s reduce their waste and ecological footprint by providing products that adhere to a strict set of guidelines. This means they are guaranteed to be Fair Trade, Eco-Friendly, Paraben Free, BPA-free and not tested on animals. They also use plastic-free packaging. With over 35+ like-minded small businesses, working together to banish waste, Banish provides a one-stop shop, selling a wide range of eco-friendly products including bamboo cotton buds, soap trays, combs and lunchboxes.
Eco Earth Market: Founded by a biology student in 2019, Eco Earth Market is a UK company that only sells products that fulfil their eco-friendly ethos of protecting the natural world. Eco Earth Market package products by hand using recycled Kraft card wrapping paper, which is 100% recyclable, biodegradable and compostable. Their products carry 4 different symbols: RECYCLABLE, BIODEGRADABLE, SUSTAINABLE or PLANT-BASED to ensure transparency. They also plant one tree for every order received. Products include bamboo phone cases, wireless bamboo computer keyboards and mouse to kitchen cheese board and knife sets.
Get 15% off your first order / Use Code: SUZSTAINABLE
Package Free: Founded by Lauren Singer, Package Free is a company on a mission to reduce waste and make natural and plastic free products more accessible, affordable, and convenient for all. Package Free believes that access to sustainable products and resources that positively benefit people and the planet is a basic human right. They view their success as helping the brands they work with to take steps to reduce their waste and make changes within their companies to reduce plastic usage, packaging and waste. They sell a range of bamboo products from hairbrushes to charcoal water fillers and reward customers with points which can be redeemed for purchases.
Lauren is also the founder of the zero-waste blog Trash is for Tossers, which shows that living a zero-waste lifestyle can be cost effective.
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