Bamboo is type of grass that grows abundantly around the world, particularly in Asia. It takes less than one year to grow to full height and three years total to reach its maximum strength. At capacity, bamboo is pound for pound as strong as steel, with new sustainable treatments extending the lifecycle of finished products by increasing durability and resistance to bugs.

Growing up in a DIY household, my early memories draw heavily on landscaping with my father. There were two large projects I remember us undertaking: the annual bamboo trim and the creating of the backyard fortress. Reflecting on the two projects, I wondered: could they have been combined? Instead of hiring a contractor to build the fort all summer, could we have grown the bamboo required for the job? I believe the answer is yes, and will discuss the different uses of bamboo and the companies who have been able to to create a competitive sustainable advantage with it.