Bamboo Jewelry – A Unique Blend of Nature & Art

Asia is blessed with deft artistry; Bamboo jewelry in this continent has developed its designs and aptly blended tradition with fashion. Earlier they were used as good luck charms and were believed to protect the wearer from evil spirits.

Bamboo – A self growing grass

Bamboo is basically an evergreen plant which grows on its own in varying climatic conditions from dense jungles to high on mountainsides. These are the fastest growing plants of the grass family on the earth as they may grow upto 60 centimeters (24 inches or two feet) or more per day depending on the local soil and climatic conditions. Each and every bamboo has its own subtle characteristics such as color, shape, ring structure, and texture. Though harder than oak or maple, bamboo being a lightweight and naturally hollow grass which can be harvested every three to five years. More than 70 genuses of bamboos are divided into about 1,000 species of which several hundred are available in the United States itself. Some of them blossom in hot, humid rainforests and some in cold, resilient surviving in temperatures as low as -20 degrees.

Due to its notable economic and cultural significance in East Asia and South East Asia, it is widely used in everyday life as a construction material, as a culinary, in medicines, as a musical instrument, in water desalination and/ or as a versatile raw product for jewelries, furniture, textiles etc. The cylindrical shape or the round ring of bamboo represents the continuation of the life cycle that is why in China it is said to be a symbol of longevity whereas in India it is a sign of friendship.

Why Bamboo Jewelry?

As per ancient beliefs of various Asian cultures, humanity emerged from a bamboo stem which makes bamboo auspicious enough to put in use in various spheres of life. That is how and why since the very beginning Asian cultural art started utilizing bamboo in jewelry making. Such believes has put to carve figure of Asian deities and icons on most of the bamboo jewelries.

Bamboo jewelries are hand-crafted by highly skilled artisans using sterling silver, fine braided wire, and kiln-fired cloisonné enamel as a small celebration of nature, art, and science. They have multi-color blending to give a picture of three dimensional contours to take various attractive forms and realistic shading. These are specially enameled at backside with Counter Enameling which minimizes tarnishing, strengthens pieces, and enhances appearance; this practice is uncommon in bamboo’s price range. That is why bamboo jewelries need to be handled with care, as they cannot adhere to usual wear and tear that metal jewelry can cope with.

With its stunning look, sophisticated style and attractive designs it creates that effect for those who like to be different by standing out in a crowd.

Moreover, bamboo jewelry is a unique creation which is go-getting to set new standards of excellence for chunky jewelry and is handmade by rural craftsman. Buying any of the bamboo products allows you to do your share towards society by helping provide livelihood to the poor. While you also do help Preserve The Environment

Types of bamboo

Depending on the growth pattern of a bamboo, they are categorized as:

  • Clumping Bamboo (Sympodial): Clumping bamboo species always remains in a tight bunch of culms which tend to spread slowly at a rate of a few inches per year. The growth pattern of their roots (rhizomes) is similar to that of ornamental grasses as its root mass gradually expands with the addition of new culms each year.
  • Running Bamboo (Monopodial): Running bamboo species are an excellent screening plant for they quickly attain a substantial height and a few feet in width. As it maintains a narrow profile unlike pine, spruce hence is ideal for dense screening for smaller yards. Due to its aggressive behavior, they spread speedily underground through their roots to develop new culms through the surface to densely fill an area.

Brenda T. Weitzman

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