North America has three varieties of native bamboo. We used to have vast ‘canebreaks’ before they were all destroyed to create agricultural land.

Many non-native varieties thrive here. I’ve got friends living along the NW coast who spend part of their springs fighting their bamboo groves in order to keep them from getting too large. I live further inland and the spread is determined by where I’m willing to provide summer water.

A couple of years ago I visited a shop selling t-shirts and other clothes made from bamboo fibers. The material was incredibly soft and had a great ‘feel’. It had a slight sheen, something like silk and a much finer weave than cotton.

The store advertised the material as very long lasting and having an ability to not ‘soak up body odors’. Unfortunately the t-shirts were priced a bit too high for me to give one a try.

Bamboo flooring has become a commonly used material around here. Looks good, long-lasting, affordable. More sustainable than many hardwoods used for floors.