Bambaw

Bambaw says their supply chain is fair and their products are produced responsibly. They work closely with their partners in order to develop sustainable production processes. For example, the bamboo straws are made by a family-run business in Indonesia and they supported them when the banks dropped them. To improve working conditions, Bambaw helps them buy tools and equipment.

However, it’s not certain that the working conditions are as consistently ethical at all their suppliers. All manufacturers are located a long distance from Belgium, mainly in China. This country is known to have a high risk of unfair labour. COSH! therefore does not dare state with certainty that all Bambaw’s production really takes place under ethical conditions. 

Bambaw uses many different materials to make its many different products. But, as the brand name suggests, bamboo is Bambaw’s main material of choice. Bamboo is a sustainable material because the plants grow quickly, require little water and do not require entire trees to be cut down. Also, in principle, bamboo, a species of grass, does not need pesticides to grow. However, COSH! is critical of using this material for textiles because making a soft fabric from bamboo fibres requires a lot of chemicals. it’s important to know that when considering Bambaw bedding. However, these items do carry the Oeko-Tex 100 label, which guarantees that no hazardous substances are present in the products. To turn the bamboo into ​“wooden” products such as handles for razors and lids for lunch boxes, fewer chemicals seem to be needed. Good news! Bamboo has strong antibacterial properties which makes it extremely suitable for Bambaw’s products.

Another material you see a lot of in Bambaw’s products is stainless steel. This type of steel is low-maintenance and does not rust, making it long-lasting. It is also easy to recycle because it is meltable. A sustainable choice therefore! Aluminium and brass have similar properties.

Other materials you will find in Bambaw’s zero-waste swaps include natural coconut, cotton and sisal (from the Agave Sisalana plant). You’ll also find synthetic materials such as polyester, silicone and nylon, which are not biodegradable.

Good to know: all Bambaw products, which you use to eat or drink, are BPA-free (Bisphenol A). This substance can be harmful to your health.

Bambaw wants to eliminate plastic use, which is why all their products are packaged without plastic. To make the world a little more sustainable, they also want to reduce their CO2 emissions and protect natural habitats. The company, supply chain and transport are therefore carbon neutral, as certified by the CO2 Logic label.

What exactly does that mean? This means they limit their own emissions as much as possible and have had their total footprint calculated. They offset this footprint by investing in a volunteering project in Malawi. Cookers there usually run on biomass, resulting in forest felling and large CO2 emissions. This project will replace these cookers with energy-efficient ceramic cookers, which will bring immediate financial progress to the inhabitants!

Bambaw has a fairly long supply chain. This is because all their raw materials come from Asia, production takes place there as well and then the products are shipped to Belgium, where the head office is located. Although the transport is CO2 neutral, the products still have to travel a long distance.

Almost all of the materials used by Bambaw are vegan. The exception is their floss which is made out of silk. Silk is made from caterpillar cocoons and the larvae die during its production. They chose this material because it is strong and biodegradable.

For people who prefer to use vegan floss, Bambaw does offer an alternative. This variant is bio-based polyester made from corn and is only industrially biodegradable.

Bambaw’s shaving brushes are also vegan-friendly. The bristles on these brushes are made from nylon.

Bambaw’s products are made to last, unlike the disposable products they replace! To make sure you can enjoy your Bambaw products for as long as possible, the brand provides an online user guide for each product with maintenance and recycling tips.

Bambaw allows you to have an aesthetic zero-waste lifestyle thanks to its beautiful range of products! In addition to enjoying using them, you’ll enjoy looking at your reusable safety razor, sanitary pads, toothbrush, cotton pads, kitchen roll, washing-up brush, coconut bowls, drinking bottle or lunch box.

Bambaw is transparent about the composition of their products however they do not publicly disclose materials’ exact origin or their production locations. In terms of transparency, Bambaw still has some room to grow. COSH! learned about the production countries through sources other than their own website.