After Christmas sale... for kids and people with beds

To commemorate her first 100 days in office, Mathilda Juno, our vice president of public affairs, hereby announces the first annual Bamboo Baby Clothing Sale.

Now through the end of the year, SAVE 25% on our entire selection of ever-popular bamboo and organic cotton products for children and babies, including shirts, pants, socks, hats, onesies, blankies and crib sheets.

And our $30 off SALE continues on all Queen, King and Cal King Sheet Sets.

A bevy of Bamboo towels, sheets and bathrobes

Our heads are spinning in another whirlwind of bamboo sheets, towels and bathrobes. Santa's little helpers are swooping fast, so hurry in before they're gone. Don't forget - our bamboo sheets are $30 OFF through the end of the month!

Central Coast Gift Guide features Bambu Batu

Central Coast Magazine – vanguard publication for the SLO County lifestyle – is now featuring Bambu Batu and the Bamboo Kitchen Compost Pail in its exclusive guide of first choice holiday gift ideas.

Brighten your countertop and sequester your kitchen scraps with this thoughtfully designed compost pail, with washable inner liner and dual charcoal filters.

And remember, our 100% BAMBOO SHEET SETS are still $30 off through the end of the month. Spoil yourself or delight a loved one with the unsurpassed comfort of organic bamboo bedding.

Change your life, change your shirt

Choose bamboo - for the softest shirt you'll ever wear. Starting at just $19.95, Spun Bamboo t-shirts are woven from a luxurious blend of 70% bamboo and 30% organic cotton. Available in 10 assorted colors, men's sizes S-XXL. (Also available in long sleeve, starting at $24.95.)

Natural/un-dyed bamboo t-shirts are now ON SALE for the Holidays - JUST $12.95. Available in natural only, men's sizes S-XL.

Rainy Day Sale on Bamboo Sheets

The rain is coming down in sheets. And thank heavens, because don't we need it! To commemorate this meteorological blessing, we're also bringing down the price of our Bamboo Bed Sheets.

Now through the end of the year, SAVE $30 on any Queen, King, or California King set of 100% bamboo bed sheets. (Set includes flat sheet, fitted sheet with extra deep pocket, and 2 pillow cases.)

Come on in and check it out. Then sit back with a hot cup of tea and watch your favorite grass grow like a weed.

Bamboo boards with major chords

Introducing our newest bamboo cutting board for those keen on strumming the strings. Technically it's a Ukelele – in keeping with Aloha spirit – but this handsome kitchen instrument should be a hot pick for any music lover. Only $29.95 and it never goes out of tune.

May the Sporks be with you

As featured in this week's New Times, the incredible bamboo Spork remains a perennial favorite at Bambu Batu, thoroughly utilitarian, aesthetically sublime, and undeniably affordable. Eliminate your need for plasticware and stuff all your holiday stockings with the all-in-one bamboo utensil, at just $2.95 apiece.

Bamboo: Paragon of strength and resilience

When it comes to strength and resilience, few things on earth rival the grace and splendor of the mighty bamboo. Excepting possibly the master yogi.

And among master yogis, few can match the talent and panache of Simon Park, who has trained under such living legends as Shiva Rae and Dharma Mittra. Having fine-tuned his body to operate like a well-oiled super hero, master Simon can withstand seemingly insurmountable pressure and balance in the most precarious of positions, always bending and never breaking.

Our highest accolades to Mr. Park. If there were a Bambu Batu Hall of Fame, you would surely straddle both walls.

Panda-monium

Upon turning 100 days old, the world's youngest (in captivity) Giant Panda Bear has now been christened. Born August 5th at the San Diego Zoo, the son of Bai Yun (Chinese for White Cloud) will henceforth be known as Yun Zi (Son of Cloud).

Weighing in at a whopping 4 ounces at birth, Yun Zi now measures a whole 10 pounds - mostly hair I think.

For more info or to see some super cute video footage, visit the San Diego Zoo.

Give pizza a chance

As buyers of baked goods bemoan the break down of Boston Bagels, and local lovers of low-impact luncheons lament the loss of Pizza Fusion, a new selection has surfaced for SLO snackers in search of salubrious sustenance.

Enter Croce's Pizzeria: just opened at 1127 Broad St., formerly Boston Bagels, right next door to Bambu Batu. Specializing in East Coast pies and Philly cheese steaks, they also offer a mouthwatering array of vegetarian as well as vegan and gluten-free options.

For those (and I've heard quite a few) who are struggling to pronounce Croce, here's a hint: it rhymes with those glutinous little balls of Japanese ice cream, mochi. As in Jim Croce. And if you're not familiar with Jim Croce, I'd like to a) thank you for making me feel old, b) let you know you haven't missed much, and c) share with you this video lest there be any doubt on point b.

So come on down, grab yourself a tasty slice, and stop by the House of Bamboo to say 'hi' and scan the scene for some sustainable stocking stuffers!

Oooh, baby!

Mathilda, our new vice president of customer relations, is delighted to announce the largest selection of bamboo and organic cotton baby garb in Bambu Batu history.

"If you want to make a difference," Mathilda says, "you must start with the children."

Super soft on the skin, and always easy on the earth, you can't go wrong with Bambu Batu baby gear. "And lots of it made in the USA, just like me!"

Bamboo, when?

Bamboo here now.

There has never been a more important time to examine the potential of alternative natural resources.

And there has never been a more viable, versatile and readily renewable resource than bamboo.

BAMBOO NOW — a non-partisan coalition of business owners, academics, climate experts and agriculture leaders — is positioned to unlock the potential of bamboo, to begin growing commercially in the U.S., to combat global warming and create thousands of new green jobs.

Take action now, stay informed, and let your voice be heard.

Screaming Deals for Halloween

Daylight Savings means time for Big Time Savings at Bambu Batu.

Come in today and take advantage of clearance prices of 50% off on selected pants, skirts and jackets by Dreamsacks. While supplies last, so hurry.

Also, assorted bamboo furniture by Greenington is now 25-35% off, including nightstands, barstools and wine bar. Don't miss out.

P.S. Boo!

Did somebody say BOO!?

What to wear this Halloween . . . Of course, Bam-BOO is the official plant of Halloween. So why not dress for comfort, style and sustainability - all at once. Treat yourself right, without all the Tricks.

The Dia de los Muertos t-shirt (pictured above) is one of dozens of new designs by the Arbor Collective of Southern California, all printed on uber-comfy bamboo fabric, and always available at Bambu Batu in downtown SLO.

Stop by this week and say "boo" to see and feel for yourself.

To Go Anywhere!

In response to very popular demand, we are now carrying stainless steel stacking travel containers by To-Go Ware. Yet another way to reduce your fork print and keep your edibles away from plastic. And of course, these are a natural fit with our ever popular To-Go Ware utensil sets.

Pick up your To-Go travel set this week, and get a free Bamboo Spork to go with!

Because pesticide-rich cotton is not an option

The new baby onesies from Dreamsacks: Baby tested, Grandpa approved.

When only the very best will do, do the bamboo. Because sometimes you just can't settle for anything less.

Bamboo on the Move

Just as a stroll on the strand wouldn't be right without your favorite bamboo zip-up, neither would a trip from Boxberg, Germany to the Central Coast be complete without a visit to Morro Rock and the fabled smokestacks.

Featured here, the Bamboo Dreams zipper jacket from Dreamsacks.

Spanish Wine floods Central Coast Market

We don't ordinarily cover topics like this in our Bambu Batu blog, but seeing how it is an issue of some local interest, and as one of our customers from out of the area had requested more details, I decided to go ahead and share my thoughts with the rest of the cyber globe.

Central Coast Wines in downtown SLO announced this week in its newsletter a special offer on the Opera Prima '08 Tempranillo. At just $7 a bottle, this Spanish import not surprisingly raised a few eyebrows. I generally prefer to buy local when possible, but when it comes to culinary endeavors, I'm always eager to stray off the well-worn vineyard, so I picked up a bottle this evening, and these are my thoughts on the subject.

As I probed for a little background or perhaps a short forecast of what to expect from the bargain bottle, the clerk in the wine shop gave the impression that he would never touch a $7 bottle of wine with a ten-foot espada, but that if he were forced at gun point to drink such an unsavory libation, this is the one he would chose. I was sold.

The 2008 Opera Prima Tempranillo, bottled in La Mancha Spain by J. Garcia Carrion, does indeed deliver everything you could ask for and more from a $7 bottle of vino. Light and refreshing, this deeply tinted vintage dances across the palate like a mariposa in heat, at once delicate and provocative, leaving an aria of fruity tenor in its wake. And yet it wields the puissance to knock you down like a proverbial windmill.

The crisp decoction performs superbly on its own, but I can also attest to the fact that it pairs quite nicely with seasonal ratatouille. As a vegetarian, I could never recommend matching this wine with red meat, but I might try ingesting a glass with a plate of fish, because I think that's what Jesus would do. (San Luis Fish & BBQ on Marsh Street actually has some great local swordfish right now, but that's a story for another time.)

Yet another Bamboo breakthrough

Another step for bamboo, another leap for mankind. Bambu Batu is electrified to introduce a new line of men's and women's bamboo fashions from Arbor Collective of Venice Beach California.

Since 1995, Arbor has been using sustainable materials to develop cutting edge products for the surf, skate and snowboard industry. In the words of co-founder Bob Carlson, "The mission is to deliver performance, durability, and style in the most responsible way possible. The result must be quality and reduced environmental impact."

The Arbor philosophy is a perfect fit for Bambu Batu, and we're sure you'll find their stylish line a sportswear a perfect fit for your active lifestyle. This week, take home a fresh new Arbor t-shirt or pair of bodacious board shorts, and receive a free gift from Bambu Batu, while supplies last.

End of Summer SALE

Don't miss out - our biggest sale of the year is now under way.

The Second Annual Indian Summer Sale means saving of 25-50% off all bamboo furniture, 25% off all bamboo fountains, 25% off all bamboo floor mats, and 40% off all bamboo fencing.

Bamboo savings don't get any bigger than this, so take advantage while supplies last. Offer limited to stock-on-hand, no rain checks or special orders.

Our newest team member

We are pleased to announce the newest addition to our family.

Mathilde Juno Hornaday was born Sept 1, 2009, at 6:31 p.m., weighing 6 lb. 10 oz.

In lieu of flowers, please send vegan lasagna to 343 S. 14th Street.

Don't have a cow, please

As more and more people are exposed to the facts about cotton farming, like the fact that it's the most pesticide- and herbicide-intensive crop on the planet, we see more and more alternative clothing fibers cropping up. But King Cotton – the fabrication of our lives – clings tightly to its stranglehold on the international textile industry.

When we launched the original HempShak in 1994, we could see that it was going to be an uphill battle against monopolies and misinformation. In those 15 years, the hemp industry has grown incrementally, despite the fiber's long litany of advantages. The crop remains impeded by a century of propaganda and draconian prohibition.

But the field of alternative fibers is spreading. Today we enjoy a wide array of organic cotton products and a burgeoning wardrobe of superlatively renewable, surprisingly affordable and incredibly comfortable bamboo. Still, it's not easy for these cottage industries to butt heads with cotton.

Now, there's finally an industry with enough muscle to challenge king cotton. Got milk? That's right, now they're making clothing from fiber spun from milk. Yes, probably the only sector of the agriculture industry that can rival cotton for its environmental devastation: dairy. Learn more.

Unlike hemp and bamboo, milk is deeply entrenched in the fabric of our society. Consider the overwhelmingly effective and persuasive "Got Milk" campaign. Yet the genuine health hazards of milk consumption and the environmental (not to mention humanitarian) ramifications posed by dairy farming are enough to tie your intestines in a square knot (metaphorically speaking, of course). July's issue of Good Housekeeping features a milk-fiber t-shirt for $110. It will be interesting to see where this all leads.

Bringin' it home

We thought we were being pretty innovative when we launched the House of Bamboo back in early 2006.

Then we found out about the team at Bamboo Living in Haiku, Hawaii. They've taken the house-of-bamboo idea a step further, and they're actually building homes of bamboo!

In addition to being built with a readily renewable resource – each bamboo house saves about an acre of trees – Bamboo Living Homes also meet or exceed all state and federal safety standards, are engineered to withstand earthquakes and hurricanes, and provide the highest level indoor air quality.

Bamboo Living offers both custom and pre-fab homes of bamboo, and they even work with lenders who can help you finance your eco dream-home.

Loco for locals

Because sustainability is more than just a fashion statement — it's also a lifestyle choice — we're pleased to introduce the latest in our stimulating line of Bambu Batu t-shirts, printed locally on 70% bamboo + 30% organic cotton.

To be worn proudly as you graze the stands of your favorite farmer's market. And if you live here in SLO County, you can attend a farmer's market virtually every day of the week. Our favorites are in front of Scolaris (Arroyo Grande) Wednesday mornings and Ramona Park (Grover Beach) on Sunday afternoons. Of course, all the tourists flock to Higuera Street on Thursday nights for food and fun.

Fresh, local, organic... for all the right reasons.

Search, and you will find

So this bloke walks into Bambu Batu last week wearing a bright blue Google t-shirt. And I think to myself, maybe I can sell this guy a nice new bamboo shirt so he doesn't have to wear this promotional tee that he probably got for free at some geek convention in silicon valley.

He tells me he works for Google, and that comes as no surprise. Then he tells me it's actually a bamboo t-shirt. Color me incredulous!

Yes, I was skeptical, so I, uh, googled it. Sure enough, in line with their commitment to sustainability, the Google squad is actually sporting bamboo comfort.

If you're looking for a web page or an elusive factoid, just Google it! But if you're looking for anything made from bamboo, just Bambu Batu it!

Goodness gracious, what giant grasses!

We've all heard what an amazingly hardy and fast-growing plant bamboo is, but I continue to be amazed by the thousands of varieties and their wild diversity up shapes, colors and sizes. Take a look at this monster. (No, I'm not talking about the girl.)

And visit John Hardy's blog for more great info on building with bamboo.

All bamboo is lucky... but not vice versa

It happens twice or thrice a week. A customer walks into the store with a look of determination on his or her face and asks if we actually sell just bamboo. Now, I have complete appreciation for a customer who knows what they want, but since this is an all-bamboo store, and virtually every item in here is bamboo, I usually just raise my eyebrows in expectation, waiting for a more specific request.

As often as not, when someone says they're just looking for actual bamboo, it's actually the plant commonly called Lucky Bamboo that they're seeking. As it happens, however, this "lucky bamboo" is really a species of dracaena, and entirely unrelated to the vast sub-family of true bamboos. (see photo above for contrast)

Dracaena sanderiana resembles bamboo in appearance, but is actually a hardy houseplant that thrives in water (no soil needed) and requires little or no natural sunlight (making it perfect for offices, bathrooms, and other indoor settings). Its appearance and ultra low-maintenance attributes are probably what earned it the name lucky bamboo.

In the Orient, Dracaena sanderiana has long been revered as a great remedy for feng shui. It is, in fact, quite lucky, but bamboo it's not. The 1200+ varieties of true bamboo technically belong to the grass family. They require full or at least partial sun exposure, some type of soil medium, and should most certainly be grown outdoors.

Because Bambu Batu is located indoors, with one large, east-facing window, it's fairly difficult to keep a true bamboo plant happy and healthy. We generally keep one specimen by the front door, where it gets good sun and plenty of fresh air, but I also rotate it with other potted bamboo specimens from my yard at home, so they are never stuck indoors for too long a stretch.

As for the Lucky Bamboo, yes, we do sell it. It is one of the 5 or 6 items at Bambu Batu not actually made from bamboo : )
...along with the Sparx soy candles, Sweet Earth fair trade chocolate, and No Enemy organic cotton t-shirts.

The Cycle of Scraps

Witness and be a part of the unending cycle of life with your very own kitchen scraps. And our new Bamboo Kitchen Counter Composter will help you do it in style. This handsome piece includes enhanced counter-top intelligence, with a plastic inside liner that can be easily removed and washed by hand or with the energy-saving dishwasher of your choice. Expect to see them at Bambu Batu no later than the first week of June. Call or stop by the shop for availability.
*UPDATE* Bamboo Compost Pails are now here!

Tour de force

For those skeptics who read the post below and doubted we were ever really in France, here's another couple pictures. They don't come any Frencher than this.

Laissez le bambu roullez!

We traveled all the way to Strasbourg, France to photograph this uncanny grove of north Atlantic bamboo in the university botanical gardens. At 48º N, Strasbourg falls somewhere between Seattle and Vancouver in terms of latitude, but without the Pacific influence the winters can be pretty harsh – it actually snowed on us earlier that morning. So it was no surprise in March to see that the bulk of the garden was still deep in dormancy. But this unidentified species of bamboo was standing firm, resilient as ever in the European winter. And I with my soft, spongey bamboo socks and warm baguette. C'est bon!

Reflections on a tea bag

I touched noses with a curious tea bag this morning, with the standard pearl-of-wisdom-on-a-string offered with each and every cup of Good Earth®.
Today's maxim: "The taller the bamboo grows, the lower it bends."
Whoa. Deep stuff, man.

Transcendence and the Collective Self

When we grapple to understand life's most puzzling mysteries, we can often look to nature to find the basic patterns that illustrate the most complex aspects of human behavior and psychological development.

As we've demonstrated earlier in this blog, bamboo provides a reliable model for understanding some of human nature's highest qualities and greatest aspirations.

A perennial grass that grows from a prolific system of rhizomes and adventitious roots, bamboo finds strength in numbers. A single root system can produce hundreds of high-flying shoots, each stretching for the sun and spreading its leaves in the fresh air. At times these individual shoots may compete for resources, but more often, the greater intelligence of the rhizome network knows to spread and avoid such self-destructive competition.

Over the years, a patch of bamboo can grow exceedingly thick and excessively dense. For the collective advantage of the grove, individual shoots may be crowded out, or they may need to be removed through selective harvesting. Enter the blade of the scythe, universal symbol for the Grim Reaper: man's worst fear and the greatest nemesis of human consciousness.

But when we recognize our role in a larger system and understand our relationship to something higher and more meaningful, then we see for ourselves the overall unimportance of the individual. Detaching from our own selfish identities, we free ourselves from the bounds of the ego, and elevate to a higher state of consciousness, to find ourselves serving a healthier and more functional community.

This holistic model functions on every level. In our own bodies, cells are constantly dying and decaying, by the hundreds and thousands. The individual's significance has limitations. In about seven years, not a single molecule in our body will remain. Each will be replaced by a younger, fresher one, and we will go on living.

And when a tattered old stalk of bamboo meets its end and falls to the ground, a vigorous young shoot will be there to fill its place - or perhaps it will find an even better place where it can thrive and bring good to the grove. So the cycle of eternal return repeats itself, again and again, as it has since the beginning of time.


In memory of Donald William Hornaday (2/7/1941 - 1/21/2009)

If the shoe fits . . .

It'll take a mighty big man to fill these shoes.

Iraqis recently erected this statue to honor their countryman, Muntazar al-Zaidi, who catapulted to fame after hurling his footwear at George W. Bush on the president's farewell visit to the occupied nation in December.

Elsewhere, a protester in the UK has copied this manner of protest by throwing his shoes at Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao who was speaking at Cambridge University on Monday. The 27-year-old dissenter also shouted a litany of epithets and commanded fellow audience members to "Stand up and protest. . . . This dictator here, how can you listen to the lies he's telling?"

Happy New Year!

Y5K is almost here! Who's ready?

We're talking about the Chinese calendar, of course. They've been recording the days since long before Europeans even knew how to count. If they'd been counting the years, they'd be up to about 4705 or 4706, depending how you reckon. But they don't reckon that way.

One thing's for certain anyway: in the Chinese 12-year zodiac cycle, this is the Year of the Ox. It started on Monday. So if you're born this year (between now and Feb.14, 2010), or if you're turning 12, 24, 36, 48, etc., then you're an ox.

Oxen are renowned for their tenacity, stubbornness, and good looks. Just consider a few famous ones, Napoleon, Walt Disney, Richard Nixon, Rosa Parks, and yours truly. We're also known for our dependability and the innate ability to achieve great things.

Meet the new Mr. Jones

Is the economic meltdown keeping you up at night? Are the morning news bulletins from Gaza adding a bitterness to your breakfast cereal? Are the Dow Jones closing reports bringing wrinkles to your forehead?

Well, forget about the Dow, and put your trust in the Tao!

As the wise and knowing Lao Tzu has said:

When the great Dow is forgotten,
goodness and piety appear.
When the body's intelligence declines,
cleverness and knowledge step forth.
When there is no peace in the family,
filial piety begins.
When the country falls into choas,
patriotism is born.

I leave it to you to contemplate this randomly selected passage from the Tao Te Ching. By the time you've reconciled these paradoxical words of wisdom, this little economic disruption will be nothing more than a distant memory.

SLO Inaugural Ball

Don't let yourself be lied to any longer. Turn off the TV, turn on your mind, and celebrate with us on Tuesday, Jan. 20.

For eight long years we've endured disasters of every race, color and creed - natural, manmade, military and economic. News anchors and political pundits will tell you it has weakened our nation; on the contrary, this arduous struggle has made us stronger than ever.

Together, let us embrace the diversity of our obstacles and challenges, and congratulate one another for having survived an age of indelible ineptitude.
SLO Inaugural Ball: Tuesday at the Grad
Celebrate the dawn of a new era as Barack Obama is sworn into office next Tuesday.

SLO Grassroots Democracy is hosting an Inaugural Ball at the Graduate on Tuesday, Jan. 20, from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Tickets for only $10 available here at
Bambu Batu, the House of Bamboo,
1127 Broad, in downtown San Luis Obispo.

Cost of admission includes appetizers and desserts, and music by DJ Malik. Other food and drink will be available for sale. And don't miss your chance to enter the drawing to win a dinner for four at Big Sky Cafe or a brand new Buddy 50cc scooter from Central Coast Mechanics.

Reaching Forward: 2009

A new year has begun, and change is underway. What better time to take a pause in the quietude, to open your ears to the emptiness inside, to the true self that lies beneath the illusions and distractions of ego, identity and appearance.

Quiet your mind and listen... Who is that innocent bystander who observes all the words and thoughts that echo inside your head? Who is that inner witness who carries no preconceptions and beholds all with equanimity?

Reach out and make yourself at home with that formless entity. Let your mind come to rest in this empty place, and let this emptiness form a doorway in the framework of your mind, opening to the pastures of infinity.

(image courtesy of Alex Grey)