Finding the Best Bamboo Products in Europe

From 2006 until 2020, Californians in search of high-quality bamboo housewares, furniture, clothing, and textiles could easily head to Bambu Batu in San Luis Obispo for a one-of-a-kind bamboo shopping experience. Today, however, bamboo consumers probably need to search online to find such a diversity of products. For those based in Europe, bamboo has taken a little longer to put down roots, but it’s no longer the scarce novelty it once was.

Europe and Antarctica are the only two continents without native species of bamboo. But gardeners can certainly grow bamboo in Europe, Fargesia murielae being one of the most popular species. Bamboo farming is also growing in popularity, especially down in Portugal, Spain and southern France. In the last several years, bamboo products have also grown increasingly common, with a wide range of European companies offering bamboo building materials, housewares, clothing, bedding, and more.

Note: This article first appeared in January 2019, most recently updated in August 2026.

Where can I find the best bamboo in Europe?

Versatile and multifarious, bamboo comes in all shapes and sizes and formats. We could be talking about bamboo for your garden, bamboo for your kitchen floors, or bamboo to replace your worn-out bed linens. So let’s tackle one category at a time.

BAMBOO BUILDING MATERIALS IN EUROPE

Apart from a few ornamental gardens and arboretums (see below), hardly anyone in Europe is currently growing a significant crop of bamboo. (Check out our article on Bamboo Farming in Europe.) The most useful varieties, being predominantly subtropical, just won’t thrive in a European climate. So if you’re shopping for bamboo flooring, bamboo thatching, or bamboo poles for a special building project, you’ll be buying imported bamboo, just like you would in California.

Bamboo Import Europe

Our extensive research of the continental market led us to Bamboo Import Europe, based just outside of Amsterdam, in the Netherlands. Their vast showroom is open to the public, Monday through Saturday. If you can’t make it up to Holland, they also ship anywhere in Europe, usually within 3-6 days.

Bamboo Import’s selection of building materials is as impressive as any I’ve ever seen. Peruse their website to view an immense assortment of bamboo poles, fencing, plywood, pergolas, picnic benches and more. No project is too big or too small.

Their site also features an epic photo gallery that could inspire even the most reluctant bamboo skeptic with visions of tropical dream homes and architectural marvels that range from the truly exotic to the immaculately modern. And if you find any of these visions irresistible, Bamboo Import’s installation team can come to your home and help turn your bamboo fantasy into a reality.

Bamboo Import works directly with longstanding partners in China, Indonesia and South America to source the very best materials and maintain the highest levels of quality control on all their bamboo products.

Bambusbasis

Based in Cologne, Germany, Bambubasis specializes in customized bamboo fencing solutions. It begins by sourcing the highest quality bamboo poles, typically from the island of Java, Indonesia. By combining the best bamboo with premium stainless steel and German craftsmanship, they are able to produce windbreaks, privacy screens and partitions that are long-lasting and fit for purpose. With a strong commitment to social as well as environmental responsibility, many parts of the final assembly and packaging are carried out in a certified workshop for people with disabilities.

Pring Studio

A small, boutique-style furniture manufacturer, based in Java and Germany, Pring Studio produces some of the most innovative and elegant bamboo furniture that I’ve seen. Their original designs will change the way you think about bamboo furniture, inspired by nature but perfected through immaculate woodworking and attention to detail. Raw materials, superior culms of Dendrocalamus asper, are sourced individually by hand and carefully fashioned to bring out the best bamboo properties with natural contours and modern flair.

Bamboe & Zo

Also located in the Netherlands, Bamboe & Zo specializes in the production of solid bamboo furniture. In their own workshop, they design and fashion an impressive line of high-quality tables, stools, bookshelves and more, attractive and sustainable. The innovative team of woodworkers often combines vintage elements to create a stunning selection of one-of-a-kind pieces. Because all manufacturing takes place on-sight, clients also have the option to order their own custom-designed furniture, with virtually no limitations.

Bamboe & Zo (which translates as Bamboo & Sun) is located in Ede, a small city in the center of the Netherlands. They are open to the public with somewhat limited hours, and also available by appointment.

BAMBOO AND NATURAL FIBER CLOTHING

I’m pleased to report that eco-boutiques specializing in natural fiber clothing are not an altogether rare site in Europe, at least not in the larger cities. I’ve seen several in Barcelona and in Germany, even in some smaller cities. If you can visit one of these small boutiques, that’s always your best option. There’s nothing like seeing, feeling and trying it on in person. You can also reduce your carbon footprint by avoiding shipping.

Bamboo Belgium

If you make your way to the capital of the European Union, consider stopping by Bamboo Belgium, probably the widest selection of bamboo clothing on the continent.

With a passion for slow fashion in combination with sustainable entrepreneurship, Fina Vanbuel started a search for a sustainable, renewable and pleasant raw material for comfortable clothing that is good for people, animals and the environment.

“With Bamboo Belgium, I am 100% committed to helping the world in which we live. I take the well-being of everyone who works on my collection very seriously,” says Fina. “My entire production process is transparent from start to finish and as sustainable as possible.”

Boody EcoWear

Based in Australia, Boody has an international presence, making their fine bamboo fashion available from anywhere in the world. As a B Corporation, their pledges to social and environmental responsibility are certifiable. Furthermore, this pioneering producer of ultra-cozy bamboo underthings is one of the few on the market to be using a bamboo lyocell process, significantly greener than the more common bamboo viscose.

Copenhagen Bamboo

A small enterprise based in Denmark, Copenhagen Bamboo proudly produces line of basics made from bamboo viscose, including t-shirts, underwear and socks, and they ship to 20 countries in the European Union.

The bamboo itself is FSC certified, and the finished fabric is tested to Oeko-Tex Standard 100. The conversion of bamboo viscose used in their clothing takes place in closed circuits, so that the chemicals needed to transform the bamboo are kept out of nature. The Lyocell method, as it is called, is currently the most responsible production method for producing viscose.

Thought

If you’re looking for cozy bamboo to cover your feet and toes, we can earnestly suggest Thought, based in the UK. Originally founded in Australia, this small team of forward-thinkers has been developing their brand since 1995, in accordance with the strictest standards of sustainability and social responsibility.

This visionary company of eco-fashionistas has clearly put a lot of thought into everything they do. From their sleek website to their elegant garments, everything has been done with care. Today they specialize socks, with an extensive assortment for men, women, and children, made from naturally grown bamboo, cotton, wool and hemp, as well as tencel and modal.

BAMBOO TOWELS AND BEDDING IN EUROPE

Finding bamboo towels and bamboo bedding remains a challenge, which is too bad, because these are two of my favorite bamboo applications. We’re still looking for the best source (or any source, really) for sheets, but we have found a German towel manufacturer with a line of bamboo towels.

Möve (that’s German for seagull) is based in east Saxony and has stores all over Germany, mostly in the east and the north. Furthermore, they produce all their towels in Germany. German craftsmanship is something I’ve come to love and trust, but unfortunately, their selection of bamboo bath towels is a bit limited at the moment. Black, white and hot pink are not my favorite bath colors. But they do have a wide variety of bamboo hand towels and washcloths. And until further notice, this is our best lead.

BAMBOO GARDENS IN EUROPE

If you’re looking to buy live bamboo for your garden, you can start by just visiting your local nursery and checking out some seasonal garden shows. They take place all over Europe in the spring and summer.

Or if you just want to see a pretty bamboo garden, check your nearest botanical garden. Just about every city has one, they are often affiliated with the local university. In France, Germany and northern Europe, they are particularly impressive, and I recall that Berlin has an especially nice bamboo collection.

But if it’s Europe’s most incredible bamboo garden you’re looking for, you’ll want to head to the south of France. About 30 miles northwest of Nimes, the Bambouseraie has been propagating vegetation and welcoming visitors since 1856. Today the spectacular garden includes about 300 varieties of bamboo, making it one of the most diversified bamboo collections on earth. (Experts put the total number of bamboo species somewhere between 1200 and 2000.)

Among the 80+ acres of bamboo groves, you’ll also find a flourishing boscage of century-old magnolias, ancient ginkgos, and majestic oak trees. The Bambouseraie even has a bamboo hedge labyrinth, so you can truly get lost in the sticks!

Bambouseraie garden bamboo garden France — Entrance to the extraordinary **Bambouseraie** bamboo garden in the south of France. Photo by Fred Hornaday.

BAMBOO NURSERIES OF EUROPE

The biggest bamboo nursery in Europe is located in southern Portugal. Bambu Parque has a prodigious selection of tropical and temperate bamboo, including more than 100 species. Not far, in Sevilla, Spain, you’ll also find La Bambuseria, with a spectacular collection of tropical and subtropical species for warmer climates.

If you’re in France, Germany or the Low Countries, Vista Verde is the source for live bamboo. With more than 30 years in the business, this multigenerational enterprise, led by Jan and Mark Oprins, started providing bamboo plants and expertise to Europeans long before it was trendy. You might also check out the Esprit Bambou nursery in Mommenheim, France, close to Strasbourg and the German border.

There’s also the Kimmei Bamboo Nursery in the Netherlands, with a vast selection of about 300 bamboo species. Not every species is available at any given time, but their nursery is well worth a visit. Hours are subject to change, so call ahead if you’re making a long drive. They also ship live bamboo within Western Europe; contact them for details.

International Sensation

In California, we sometimes like to think we have a monopoly on all things hip, cool and eco-conscious. It’s true, California has produced and popularized some pretty cool things: Vans, Frisbees, the Tesla Roadster, the Grateful Dead. I could go on and on. Just check out this documentary on California Innovations.

But Californians certainly cannot take credit for bamboo. Bamboo is a prolific plant with an ancient history and widespread appeal. Some of today’s most important innovators and producers of modern bamboo products may be based in California and Oregon, but we could hardly refer to this miraculous plant as a West Coast original.