Bamboo
Bamboo is a giant woody grass harvested as a hollow jointed culm and used across construction, furniture, panel, textile and energy markets. Unlike a tree it reaches full height in a single season and reaches usable strength in three to five years, and a managed clump can be cut every year without replanting. The traded material takes several forms: whole culms used as scaffolding, structural poles and furniture frames; split and strip material woven into mats and boards; laminated and strand woven panel and flooring pressed from processed strips; bamboo charcoal and activated carbon; and dissolving pulp made from culm fibre and spun into regenerated cellulose yarn. Buyers are construction and scaffolding contractors, panel and flooring mills, furniture and houseware manufacturers, charcoal and activated carbon producers, and pulp and viscose plants.
Listed bamboo markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
Bamboo is bought on species, on age at cutting and on the physical dimensions of the culm, because those three between them set the strength, the wall thickness and what the material can be made into. Every parameter names how it is measured. Treatment against borer and fungus is part of the specification rather than an afterthought, since untreated bamboo has a short service life in almost every climate.
Species, form and identification
7 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Botanical speciesDeclared by botanical name, verified by culm anatomy where a substitution risk exists | Phyllostachys edulis, Dendrocalamus asper, Dendrocalamus strictus, Bambusa blumeana, Bambusa vulgaris, Guadua angustifolia and Gigantochloa species are the principal traded species. Species sets wall thickness, internode length and fibre density. |
| Age at harvestDeclared in years, verified by culm marking at the clump or by sheath scar and colour | Culms under three years are immature, low in starch conversion and weak. Three to five year culms are the structural material. Older culms become brittle. Age is recorded at the clump rather than estimated at the yard. |
| FormDeclared, as whole culm, half round, split, strip, slat, laminated blank, strand woven blank, chip, charcoal, or pulp | Each form carries its own dimensional and moisture specification, and the forms are not interchangeable at the same price. |
| ProcessingDeclared, as untreated green, boiled, boron treated, smoked, carbonised, or laminated | Boiling removes starch. Boron treatment gives borer resistance. Carbonising darkens the material through the section and lowers strength. Lamination bonds strips with a named adhesive. |
| Adhesive systemDeclared where the material is laminated or strand woven, naming the resin and the bond class | Urea formaldehyde, melamine urea formaldehyde and phenolic systems give different water resistance and different emission classes, so the resin is named rather than implied by the product name. |
| Surface finishDeclared, as rough, planed, sanded, or coated | The finish state at delivery, since the buyer prices the machining still to be done. |
| Intended use declarationDeclared, as structural, scaffolding, furniture, panel, weaving, charcoal, or pulp | The end use governs which of the parameters below are contractual and which are informational. |
Grading and appearance
8 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| StraightnessMeasured as maximum deviation from a straight line drawn between the culm ends, over the stated length | Recorded in millimetres of deviation per metre of length. Measured with a line and rule rather than judged by eye. |
| Splitting and checkingMeasured as the length and depth of any split, on each culm | Recorded against a stated maximum. End splits, longitudinal splits and surface checks are counted separately because they affect the piece differently. |
| Insect damageCounted as the number of borer exit holes per culm and per parcel | Recorded as a count with a stated maximum, together with whether any infestation is live. |
| Fungal stainingAssessed visually over the culm surface and on a cut section | Recorded as the affected percentage of the surface and whether the stain penetrates the wall. Blue stain is cosmetic in some uses and rejected in others. |
| Node conditionInspected at each node for cracking, damage and residual branch stubs | Nodes are the strong points of a culm and damaged nodes are the failure points, so they are inspected individually on structural material. |
| Colour uniformityAssessed visually across the parcel under daylight against a retained sample | Relevant to furniture, panel and flooring material, where the parcel is matched against a retained reference rather than a colour name. |
| TaperMeasured as the difference in outside diameter between the two ends over the stated length | Determines how much of a culm is usable at a given diameter, and is measured on the piece rather than assumed from the species. |
| Laminated panel bond qualityTested by the delamination or boil test named in the contract | Panel and flooring blanks are tested to the bond class claimed, with the test method named because bond claims are meaningless otherwise. |
Dimensions and measurement
7 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Outside diameterMeasured with callipers at the stated distance from the base and again at the top | Recorded in millimetres at both measurement points, since a culm tapers along its length. |
| Wall thicknessMeasured with callipers at the cut end, at four points around the circumference | Recorded in millimetres as the minimum measured value. Wall thickness rather than diameter governs the load a culm can carry. |
| Culm lengthMeasured from cut end to cut end with a tape | Recorded in metres with the tolerance stated. Length is contracted as a minimum rather than a nominal. |
| Internode lengthMeasured between adjacent nodes over the usable section | Recorded in millimetres. Long internodes are required for split and strip material and for weaving. |
| Strip and slat dimensionsMeasured with callipers on thickness and width, and with a rule on length | Recorded with the tolerance for each dimension, at the stated moisture condition. |
| Panel dimensionsMeasured on length, width and thickness with the tolerance stated | Squareness and thickness variation across the panel are recorded separately from the nominal size. |
| Quantity basisDeclared, as piece count, linear metres, weight, or cubic metres | Stated explicitly, because whole culms are conventionally sold by piece and processed material by volume or weight. |
Physical and moisture condition
8 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Moisture contentDetermined by oven drying to constant mass, or by calibrated resistance meter on the culm wall | Reported as a percentage of the dry mass with the method named. Bamboo shrinks and splits as it dries, so the delivered moisture condition is contractual. |
| DensityDetermined by mass and volume measurement on a representative sample | Reported at the stated moisture condition. Density rises from the inner to the outer wall and from the base to the top of the culm. |
| Starch contentDetermined by iodine staining of a cut section, or by quantitative analysis where the contract requires it | Starch is what borers feed on. Boiling and leaching reduce it, and the reduction is verified rather than assumed. |
| Preservative retentionDetermined by analysis of a core sample for the active element, expressed as mass per unit volume | Where the material is boron treated, the retention and the penetration depth are both measured, since surface treatment alone does not protect a culm. |
| Preservative penetrationDetermined by a colour indicator test on a freshly cut cross section | Recorded as the depth of penetration into the wall, because the untreated core remains vulnerable. |
| Compressive strengthTested to the standard method named in the contract, on specimens cut from the parcel | Required for structural and scaffolding material. Reported with the moisture condition at test. |
| Formaldehyde emissionTested to the method and class named in the contract, on laminated and strand woven material | Panel and flooring destined for indoor use is contracted to a stated emission class with the test method named. |
| Ash and fixed carbonDetermined by proximate analysis, on charcoal and carbonised material | Charcoal is contracted on fixed carbon, ash, volatile matter and moisture, each by the named analytical method. |
Legality, certification and phytosanitary status
8 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Harvest legalityDocumented against the harvest permit or the land title of the source clump | Bamboo is frequently grown on smallholder land, and the ownership and cutting right chain is documented at origin. |
| Phytosanitary certificateIssued by the national plant protection organisation of the exporting country | Bamboo carries a live insect risk and most destinations require certification with the treatment named. |
| Fumigation or heat treatmentApplied and certified where the destination requires it | The treatment schedule, the temperature or the dose and the duration are recorded on the certificate. |
| Deforestation regulation statusAssessed against the destination requirements applying to the product | Where the destination requires a due diligence statement or geolocation of the harvest area, that evidence is assembled before shipment. |
| CertificationDeclared, as the forest management or chain of custody scheme, the certificate number and the claim made | Certified bamboo is traded, and the certificate scope must cover the actual species and the actual harvest area. |
| Chemical treatment declarationDeclared, naming the preservative, the concentration and the treatment date | Required by many destinations and by end users buying for indoor or food contact applications. |
| Wood packagingISPM 15 treatment of any wood packaging material used | Applies to the crates, pallets and dunnage independently of the cargo treatment. |
| Tariff classificationHarmonized System classification agreed before shipment | Culms, split material, panel, charcoal and pulp classify differently, and the classification is agreed in advance. |
Inspection, documentation and settlement
9 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| InspectionBy an independent inspection company, or by a buyer appointed grader, named in the contract | Grading, tally, measurement and condition checked at loading or at discharge as agreed, with a report and photographs issued to both parties. |
| TallyPiece by piece or by parcel, as the contract states | The count and measurement record that the invoice is built from, signed by both parties or by the appointed inspector. |
| Measurement basisDeclared, as the standard and the moisture condition the volume is calculated at | Named explicitly, because volume in this trade depends on the rule applied and on whether the material is green or dried. |
| Grading disputeResolved by a reinspection under the named rule, by an agreed independent grader | The reinspection procedure, the time limit for claiming and who bears the cost are all written in. |
| Phytosanitary certificationIssued by the plant protection organisation of the exporting country | Names the treatment applied and travels with the cargo. Required by most destinations for wood and wood products. |
| Legality documentationHarvest permit chain, transport permits, export permit and the due diligence statement where required | The document set that proves lawful origin, assembled before shipment because it cannot be reconstructed afterwards. |
| Certification and chain of custodyDeclared, as the scheme, the certificate number and the claim made | Where the material is sold as certified, the certificate scope must cover the actual species and the actual harvest area. |
| Payment termsDocumentary credit, cash against documents or open account, as agreed | Stated with the provisional and final invoice mechanism where the settlement depends on a tally or a grading at discharge. |
| Insurance and carriageDeclared, with the Incoterm and the insured value | The Incoterms rule named with the version year, and the party carrying the risk over each leg. |
Grades outside this list trade on request. Send us the contract specification you work to and we will price against it.
Locations
| Country | Region | We trade it as |
|---|---|---|
| China | Asia | Origin and destination |
| Vietnam | Asia | Origin and destination |
| Indonesia | Asia | Origin and destination |
| India | Asia | Origin and destination |
| Philippines | Asia | Origin and destination |
| Thailand | Asia | Origin and destination |
| Myanmar | Asia | Origin and destination |
| Laos | Asia | Origin and destination |
| Cambodia | Asia | Origin and destination |
| Malaysia | Asia | Origin and destination |
| Bangladesh | Asia | Origin and destination |
| Sri Lanka | Asia | Origin and destination |
| Nepal | Asia | Origin and destination |
| Taiwan | Asia | Origin and destination |
| Japan | Asia | Origin and destination |
| South Korea | Asia | Origin and destination |
| Colombia | South America | Origin and destination |
| Ecuador | South America | Origin and destination |
| Peru | South America | Origin and destination |
| Brazil | South America | Origin and destination |
| Mexico | North America | Origin and destination |
| Ghana | Africa | Origin and destination |
| Kenya | Africa | Origin and destination |
| Tanzania | Africa | Origin and destination |
| Madagascar | Africa | Origin and destination |
| South Africa | Africa | Origin and destination |
| Nigeria | Africa | Origin and destination |
| United States | North America | Origin and destination |
| Canada | North America | Origin and destination |
| United Kingdom | Europe | Origin and destination |
| Netherlands | Europe | Origin, destination and trading hub |
| Belgium | Europe | Origin, destination and trading hub |
| Germany | Europe | Origin and destination |
| France | Europe | Origin and destination |
| Spain | Europe | Origin and destination |
| Italy | Europe | Origin and destination |
| Poland | Europe | Origin and destination |
| United Arab Emirates | Middle East | Origin, destination and trading hub |
| Saudi Arabia | Middle East | Origin and destination |
| Australia | Oceania | Origin and destination |
| New Zealand | Oceania | Origin and destination |
| Singapore | Asia | Trading, finance and destination |
| Hong Kong | Asia | Trading hub |
Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown here.
Timing
Harvest is when the material is cut or stripped at origin, which follows the dry season, the growth cycle or the felling licence period in that country. Arrival is when a shipment from that origin typically lands in a consuming market. The gap between them is seasoning, sawing or processing, the permit and phytosanitary procedure and the voyage.
HarvestArrival
| Origin | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Oct to Mar, arrival Nov to AprThe largest supplier, cutting Phyllostachys edulis in the cool season when starch content is lowest, and exporting culm, panel, flooring and charcoal. | |||||
| Vietnam | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Sep to Feb, arrival Oct to MarCuts through the dry northern season and ships culm, woven board and laminated panel. | |||||
| Indonesia | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest May to Sep, arrival Jun to OctDendrocalamus asper cut in the dry middle of the year, moving as culm, laminated blank and furniture component. | ||||||
| India | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Nov to Mar, arrival Dec to AprCut after the monsoon through the dry season, supplying domestic construction, agarbatti stick and pulp demand as well as export. | ||||||
| Philippines | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest Jan to May, arrival Feb to JunDry season cutting of Bambusa blumeana, with furniture and handicraft the main export routes. | ||||||
| Thailand | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Nov to Mar, arrival Dec to AprCool dry season cutting, exporting culm, charcoal and processed strip. | ||||||
| Myanmar | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Nov to Mar, arrival Jan to MayDry season cutting, with much of the volume moving overland into China and Thailand. | |||||
| Laos | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Nov to Mar, arrival Jan to AprDry season cutting, largely for regional processing rather than direct export. | ||||||
| Malaysia | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest May to Aug, arrival Jun to SepCut in the drier middle of the year for furniture, panel and handicraft. | |||||||
| Colombia | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest Jun to Feb, arrival Jan to SepGuadua angustifolia cut in the two dry windows, the structural bamboo of the Andean construction trade. | ||||
| Ecuador | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest Jun to Nov, arrival Jul to DecGuadua cut through the coastal dry season and exported as structural culm. | |||||
| Brazil | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest May to Sep, arrival Jun to OctDry season cutting of Dendrocalamus and Guadua for construction, panel and charcoal. | ||||||
| Ghana | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Nov to Feb, arrival Dec to MarDry season cutting, supplying furniture, handicraft and a growing charcoal trade. | |||||||
| Kenya | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest Jan to Sep, arrival Feb to OctCut in the two dry windows, moving into construction, furniture and charcoal. |
Windows outside this pattern trade on request, including term supply, forward positions and stock already seasoned and sitting in a destination warehouse.
Customs, packing and contract terms
Indicative terms for bamboo. Tariff classification is the importer’s responsibility and limits change, so confirm both against the destination customs authority and the current regulation before you fix a contract.
- HS heading1401.10 Bamboo, of a kind used primarily for plaiting
4409.21 Bamboo continuously shaped along any edge or face - PackingPoles bundled by diameter and length, split and strip material in bales, charcoal and flooring blanks in cartons on pallets. Moisture content and any borax or heat treatment declared at load.
- Container loading20ft: 10 t to 18 t. Poles are volume limited long before weight. ISPM 15 marking on all wood packaging material.
- Contract and arbitrationATIBT contracts for tropical hardwood or the terms of the origin association, with arbitration under ATIBT rules or at the contract seat. NHLA grading rules where the destination is North America.
- Destination limitsEUDR (Regulation 2023/1115) due diligence with plot geolocation and legality evidence, US Lacey Act declaration, CITES listing for agarwood, ramin and several rosewoods, and ISPM 15 treatment marking on all wood packaging material.
Common questions
What grades of bamboo does SIP Global trade?
We quote 47 published grades of bamboo, including Botanical species - Declared by botanical name, verified by culm anatomy where a substitution risk exists, Age at harvest - Declared in years, verified by culm marking at the clump or by sheath scar and colour, Form - Declared, as whole culm, half round, split, strip, slat, laminated blank, strand woven blank, chip, charcoal, or pulp, Processing - Declared, as untreated green, boiled, boron treated, smoked, carbonised, or laminated, Adhesive system - Declared where the material is laminated or strand woven, naming the resin and the bond class and Surface finish - Declared, as rough, planed, sanded, or coated. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is bamboo graded?
Bamboo is bought on species, on age at cutting and on the physical dimensions of the culm, because those three between them set the strength, the wall thickness and what the material can be made into. Every parameter names how it is measured. Treatment against borer and fungus is part of the specification rather than an afterthought, since untreated bamboo has a short service life in almost every climate. Grading runs on 6 systems: Species, form and identification, Grading and appearance, Dimensions and measurement, Physical and moisture condition, Legality, certification and phytosanitary status and Inspection, documentation and settlement.
Where does SIP Global trade bamboo?
We trade bamboo in China, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar and Laos and 35 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is bamboo harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are China: harvest oct to mar, arrival nov to apr; Vietnam: harvest sep to feb, arrival oct to mar; Indonesia: harvest may to sep, arrival jun to oct; India: harvest nov to mar, arrival dec to apr; Philippines: harvest jan to may, arrival feb to jun. Harvest is when the lot is taken at origin, arrival is when a shipment from that origin lands in a consuming market. Windows outside this pattern, including carry, trade on request.
What is the HS code for bamboo?
Bamboo is normally classified under HS 1401.10 (bamboo, of a kind used primarily for plaiting) and HS 4409.21 (bamboo continuously shaped along any edge or face). The heading follows the form the goods are in at the border, and national tariffs extend it beyond six digits, so confirm the full line with the destination customs authority before you fix a contract.
How do I get a price for bamboo?
Send the grade, the origin and the delivery window to the SIP Global desk. That is enough for a trader to come back with a level and a settlement route. 2 listed bamboo markets are published on this page, each with its full specification and terms. We take both sides, physical and financial, prompt to long dated.
Standards and data sources
The grading language on this sheet follows published standards. Trade volumes and tariff lines are public record. Verify anything here against the source.
- IPPCInternational Plant Protection Convention phytosanitary measures
- UN ComtradeOfficial international trade statistics by HS code
- ITC Trade MapBilateral trade flows and tariff data
- FAOSTATFAO production and trade series for agricultural commodities
Price this with our desk
Grade, origin and window if you have them. If what you are carrying does not fit the sheet above, describe it in your own words and a trader will take it from there.