China pushes for bamboo to replace plastics

In 2023, Anji's bamboo industry generated approximately 18 billion yuan ($2.46 billion) in revenue.

Liang Fenghui, general manager of Zhejiang Fenghui Bamboo and Wood Co, based in Anji, said the company earned 130 million yuan in revenue in 2023 by selling bamboo-based products both domestically and internationally, including to Europe, Japan, the United States and Southeast Asia. Exports account for about 80 percent of the company's total revenue, he said.

Founded in the 1990s by Liang's father, the company focuses on manufacturing environmentally friendly bamboo products. "We specialize in consumables, packaging and lamps, with the majority of our materials sourced from bamboo," Liang said.

Bamboo consumables, including single-use knives, forks and toothbrushes, are designed for replacement within three months, aligning with efforts to reduce plastic usage. Some items, like bamboo sticks, are now produced automatically by machines.

At the company's factory, workers assemble bamboo lamps, which will be exported to European markets. "We have replaced plastic components in our lamps with bamboo as well," Liang added. The company is also enhancing value by incorporating cultural elements into the design of its packaging.

While the outlook for bamboo as a substitute alternative is promising, Liang acknowledged that domestic demand may take time to grow as consumer attitudes shift.

Bamboo products are already gaining traction in European and other international markets, but the domestic market still requires incentives to drive industry growth, according to Tang.

"Replacing wood materials with bamboo is already a common practice," he said. "However, using bamboo to fully substitute plastic is not an easy task. So far, there are only limited scenarios in which bamboo is used as a substitute for plastic in daily life."

One major challenge is the price difference between bamboo and plastic. Although plastic production based on fossil fuels generates more greenhouse gases, it remains cheaper due to lower labor and transportation costs compared to bamboo harvesting and processing, according to Tang.

"The price difference makes consumers favor plastic products," he said. "While we highlight bamboo's potential to reduce plastic pollution, the public often struggles to connect with it, as it seems distant from their everyday lives."

On the online shop for Anji's bamboo products, a bamboo toothbrush costs 3 yuan, and a bamboo Bluetooth keyboard is priced at 299 yuan. "The prices of these bamboo products are becoming more competitive compared to plastic alternatives," Bai said.