Zhejiang Changhe Industry&Trade Company presents its bamboo products at the East China Fair. [Photo/Lishui Daily]

Several bamboo and wood enterprises from Qingyuan county, Lishui, Zhejiang province, participated in the East China Fair in Shanghai, showcasing their innovative achievements in "substituting plastic with bamboo".

The fair is the largest import and export fair in China focusing on textiles, garments, and light industrial products. In just four days (from March 1 to 4), Qingyuan's enterprises have seen $1 million in intended transactions.

During the fair, the Zhejiang Changhe Industry&Trade Company from Qingyuan attracted many foreign customers with their stylish bamboo products, such as bamboo curtains, carpets, and table mats, which filled the air with a bamboo fragrance.

Zhu Yulong, head of the company's foreign trade, explained, "Unlike plastic, bamboo is renewable and degradable, with high tenacity."

The company's bamboo tableware received widespread praise at the fair because of its good corrosion resistance and practical and aesthetic functions, helping the company expand into the European market.

"Substituting bamboo for plastic" is an initiative launched by the Chinese government and the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization in 2022 to reduce plastic pollution. Qingyuan, as a base for China's bamboo product industry, is home to 41 bamboo and wood enterprises above designated size, with 1,793 patents and over 30 varieties of bamboo products.

In 2023, Qingyuan generated 50 million yuan ($6.95 million) in bamboo industry exports, demonstrating high export potential.