Bambuseae, bambusa, bamboo, you name it. But where does bamboo actually come from? Many people think that bamboo only comes from China, but nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, bamboo likes tropical climates, which is why it can also be found in Africa, South America, Australia, Asia and southern North America, among others.
Bamboo comes in many shapes and sizes and each species has its own unique characteristics. The bamboo canes in Van Nifterik's range are also known as tonkin (Latin name: Pseudosasa Amabilis) and split bamboo. Both products are used to guide plants during their growth. In this blog we tell you more about the production process.
Tonkin
Once the harvest from a bamboo plantation is ready to be felled, the large bamboo canes are cut and transported to the factory. There, the bamboo canes are checked for quality and the selected bamboo canes are cut to size. This is done in different grades, namely cut one and cut two. The first cut is solid bamboo with a thick wall. This is harvested/cut at the bottom of the bamboo, close to the ground. The second or even third cut is cut above that with thin tops. These canes are usually very tapered and thin-walled. Finally, all bamboo canes are tested for thickness at the bottom and top and for straightness. If the bamboo is not straight, it can be made straight by heating the bamboo cane and then bending it straight. Tonkin sticks from our factory's region are made of raw bamboo and are used for growing flowers, plants and vegetables.
Split bamboo
The beginning of the production process of split bamboo is almost the same as that of tonkin bamboo canes. However, the shorter sticks - after being cut to size - go through a machine, leaving bamboo strips. These bamboo strips then go through a cutting machine. Finally, round splits remain, which are further cut to size and sorted for straightness. Then, if necessary, we give the strips various treatments, such as staining, an anti-fungal treatment, a plastic cover or we mount a clip on them. Finally, the split bamboos are packed into boxes and/or bales, after which they are ready for delivery.
