Representational photo showcasing bamboo crafts and accessories.
YANGON: With calloused hands and a sharp eye for detail, 21-year-old Zin Min Htike had transformed bamboo, a centuries-old material, into a thriving modern livelihood.
He began crafting at 15 and has since built everything from small structures to large buildings. He's now constructing an 80-foot-long, 40-foot-wide bamboo building in Hlegu township, Yangon region.
"Bamboo is my livelihood as well as my passion," he said. "I learned from my teachers and depended entirely on bamboo craftsmanship. I made houses, restaurant decorations, beds, chairs, and tables."
"Posting my work online three years ago helped me reach customers across Mandalay, Naypyidaw, and many other regions. Most of my orders came from the internet," he said.
For Zin Min Htike, the craft is not just a job. It is a way to support his family of four and to preserve a traditional art form in a modern context. "I don't make huge profits, but if done properly, bamboo work could sustain a living," he said proudly.
He is one of a growing number of young Myanmar craftsmen and entrepreneurs embracing bamboo for both its economic and environmental potential.
One example is Green Bamboo Life, a Yangon-based shop founded by 32-year-old Thiri Min Thein. The store, in its fourth year, sourced bamboo products from across Myanmar, including Yangon, Bagan, Nyaung-U, and Shan state.
Thiri explained how she opened the shop: "During Covid-19, I started growing plants and needed baskets to hold them. I discovered bamboo handicrafts, realized they were reusable and environmentally friendly, and wanted others to use them too, so I decided to open the shop."
Green Bamboo Life offers hundreds of products, from food covers and trays to lamps and furniture, and caters to homes, businesses, and hotels, she said.
Thiri noted that both local and international customers are increasingly drawn to bamboo products, appreciating their sustainability and affordability.
"Bamboo products are better than plastic for the environment, and the price difference is narrowing. I hope more people will choose bamboo in the future," she said.
The digital age has amplified this trend, allowing artisans and young entrepreneurs to market their work beyond local markets. Twenty-five-year-old engineering student Ko Pyae discovered bamboo crafts while researching plant cultivation online.
He later ran a social media-based business selling bamboo products, including bowls, trays, and baskets. "I stumbled upon bamboo artisans through a bamboo social media group, and that inspired me to create an online shop," he said.
Most of his customers are local, but some orders come from clients who export the products internationally, Ko Pyae said.
U Kyaw Win, founder of the Myanmar Bamboo Society, said their motto is to eliminate poverty through bamboo. "The bamboo business is beneficial for the environment, income, and livelihoods as well," he added.
"If we can make products that are marketable, we could get a market. Young people were increasingly interested in learning this craft," he said.
"I also run my own bamboo product shop. I made bookshelves, tables, chairs, decorations, and even buildings with bamboo," he said.
The potential is vast. According to Myanmar's Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, the country could extract 318 million bamboo poles annually from natural forests.
The International Bamboo and Rattan Organisation reported that Myanmar is home to 102 bamboo species, 18 of which are commercially valuable.
Bamboo has long been used in construction, furniture, handicrafts, and even food, and its production has spanned an estimated 17,838 square kilometers nationwide.
On World Bamboo Day, observed globally on Sept 18 to celebrate the plant's versatility and sustainability, the young craftsmen and entrepreneurs said that bamboo had become a source of income, creativity, and hope, showing that traditional skills could thrive online, sustain communities, and inspire the next generation. - Xinhua
