For more than two decades, Bambu® has stood for a simple but powerful idea: that well-designed, responsibly made products created from renewable materials, can inspire people to live more sustainably. From the beginning, we chose to work directly with the skilled craftspeople in China—where bamboo grows naturally and abundantly, and where traditional knowledge of working with this remarkable renewable material runs deep.
Bamboo is one of the clearest examples of a truly renewable material—fast-growing, regenerative, and harvested with minimal impact when managed well.
Over the years, we’ve built relationships with our producers rooted in respect, trust, and shared values. Our products are the result of those relationships—born from a unique intersection of natural, renewable materials and human craftsmanship that simply cannot be replicated elsewhere.
Today, that foundation is being tested.
The Challenge We Face
In recent months, the growing uncertainty around global trade, extraordinary tariff levels, inconsistent trade policies, and current geopolitical tensions have placed small businesses like ours in an extraordinarily difficult position. The tariffs currently applied to our products are not just high—they are unsustainable. They have disrupted our production cycles, created instability in our supply chain, our team's livelihoods, and affected our ability to serve customers with the consistency and care we’ve always aimed for.
At one point, tariffs on many of our core products climbed to as high as 154% then 30%—a level that simply is not sustainable for a small, values-driven company. A recent adjustment has reduced many of those rates to 20%. While any reduction helps, a 20% tariff on top of rising costs still leaves us in a precarious position. It forces difficult decisions.
Naturally, the question comes up: Why not just make your products somewhere else? We’ve spent years exploring that, including options in the United States using other responsibly sourced woods rather than bamboo. The reality is sobering. So far, we have not found a manufacturing partner in the U.S. who is both capable of and willing to produce comparable products at the scale, consistency, and design quality Bambu® customers expect—while still keeping them remotely affordable.
This is not a criticism of American makers. There are many talented woodworkers and small shops here. But most operate at an artisan scale, not at the level needed to produce beautifully finished, food-safe, design-forward utensils and housewares in the quantities our customers require. Labor costs, material availability, specialized tooling, and production efficiencies all play a role. The result is that a U.S.-made equivalent of a Bambu product would either be radically more expensive, significantly compromised in design and performance, or both.
We have had to temporarily suspend new production and are working hard to manage remaining inventory as thoughtfully as possible. While many items remain available, others—particularly our Veneerware® bamboo plates—are in limited supply or temporarily out of stock. These shortages are not due to a lack of planning or effort, but to an unpredictable and rapidly shifting trade environment that has made it economically unfeasible to continue normal operations in China for the time being.
Our Position
We want to be clear: we do not support the trade policies or practices that have created this situation. These measures disproportionately burden small, ethically minded businesses—companies like ours that prioritize sustainability, transparency, and fair relationships over scale or profit.
We are not alone. Hundreds of other businesses have been impacted. Many have been forced to close, while others are struggling to maintain operations. Jobs have been lost unnecessarily.
Our hope is for a renewed policy approach that recognizes the value of small-business innovation, rewards sustainable sourcing, and enables fair trade rather than penalizing it. Trade policy should not make it harder for people to choose better, lower-impact products; it should make it easier.
This is a time we need more, not fewer, businesses that operate with an ethos of integrity and transparency.
A Personal Note
This is not just a business story for us—it’s personal. We, Rachel and Jeff, have spent the better part of two decades living and working in China. We’ve witnessed firsthand the incredible skill of the craftspeople who make our products and the care that goes into every piece. We are grateful for the relationships we’ve created and proud of the partnerships we have built.
It is painful to see politics place barriers between people who simply want to work together to create something good. The distance that tariffs create is not just financial; it is human. It strains relationships that have been nurtured over many years and makes collaboration harder at a time when the world needs more cooperation, not less.
Gratitude and Hope
To our customers, partners, and supporters: thank you. Your trust, loyalty, and patience mean more than ever. We know that Bambu® products have become part of your kitchens, your gatherings, and your celebrations. We don’t take that lightly.
We remain committed to finding solutions that uphold the integrity of our products and the values that have guided us since day one. We are exploring every responsible option to navigate this period—always with an eye toward the long term, and always with our commitment to people and planet at the center.
We are hopeful that change will come. Until then, we will continue to do everything in our power to serve you with honesty, care, and gratitude.
With appreciation,
Jeff & Rachel
Co-founders, Bambu®
