How Long Do Bamboo Utensils Last?

It is estimated that the United Kingdom discards 4.25 billion items of throwaway plastic cutlery each year. This includes plastic forks, knives, and other items in cutlery. Only a tenth of these items are recycled after being disposed of; the rest become part of plastic waste.

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Buying eco-friendly alternatives to single-use plastic cutlery, such as reusable bamboo cutlery sets, can help reduce your plastic waste. These are sleek, portable, and can be taken to the office, school, and outdoor picnics.

Bamboo cutlery sets and bamboo cooking utensils are extremely durable and can last for many months, even years, if cleaned and stored properly. Using bamboo cutlery instead of disposable plastic cutlery is also better for your wallet because it is a one-time purchase.

If you’re considering buying reusable bamboo cutlery sets or cooking utensils for home use, here’s everything you need to know about caring for bamboo cutlery and how long you can expect your reusable bamboo cutlery sets to last.

Why You Should Always Choose Bamboo Cutlery Over Disposable Plastic Cutlery

Plastic pollution is a menace to our planet. It creates unsightly landfills, damages marine ecosystems, and microplastics, released into the environment when plastic waste breaks down, poison our food supply. Microplastics have even been found in the human body, meaning plastic pollution is quite literally poisoning us.

Although governments have tried to impose bans or limits on the use of plastic packaging and disposable plastic items, it has been difficult for corporations and citizens to move away from plastic. With plastic grocery bags, cutlery, bubble wrap, water bottles, and food packaging, plastic has unfortunately become an inextricable part of our lives.

Plastic is a cheap, leak-proof, and durable material, which explains why companies hesitate to replace it with other sustainable materials. However, if we are to tackle the problem of plastic pollution seriously, we must end our reliance on plastic and use other eco-friendly alternatives. Bamboo and hemp are excellent, biodegradable alternatives to plastic.

Bamboo is well-known for being biodegradable and not contributing to landfill or marine pollution. Additionally, bamboo has a much smaller water footprint than plastic; it takes 22 gallons of water to produce just one pound of plastic.

Bamboo grows in temperate or tropical climates with plenty of seasonal rainfall, meaning additional water supplies are unnecessary for bamboo crops. Large-scale bamboo cultivation occurs in many Asian countries, including Vietnam, China, India, and Myanmar.

Conscious consumerism is about making better choices regarding how and where you spend your money. By switching to eco-friendly bamboo cutlery instead of disposable plastic cutlery, you support small businesses with low carbon footprints rather than large corporations that profit from manufacturing disposable plastic items harmful to our environment.

The purchases you make have social, economic, and environmental impacts. As a consumer, you can vote with your dollars or pounds to ensure the goods and services you buy have a positive environmental impact.

By purchasing bamboo cutlery, bamboo cooking utensils, and other biodegradable bamboo products, you support farmers in low-income countries who cultivate bamboo.

Thanks to reusable and affordable bamboo cutlery, you can now snack guilt-free anywhere. A bamboo cutlery set can easily fit into a small pocket in your bag, allowing you to use it wherever you go. So, the next time you’re at a hot dog stand or cafeteria, you can politely decline plastic cutlery and use your bamboo cutlery instead.

If you are a parent of school-going children, you can give them their bamboo cutlery sets to take to school. You can also provide them with reusable bamboo straws to use instead of disposable plastic straws. Many aquatic creatures, such as fish, seals, and turtles, have been suffocated by plastic straws that get stuck in their throats. Using bamboo straws will help them cut down on plastic waste and preserve our precious natural world.

Encouraging your children to adopt alternatives to single-use plastic will cultivate a passion for environmental conservation from an early age.

How Long Can Bamboo Cutlery Sets and Cooking Utensils Be Expected to Last?

On average, reusable bamboo cutlery sets can last for six months or more, depending on their quality and how well you look after them. A high-quality bamboo cutlery set can last up to two years. Bamboo cooking utensils can last even longer, up to eight or ten years.

Your bamboo cutlery sets and cooking utensils should always be stored in a cool and dry place, like a kitchen cabinet. Never keep them in direct sunlight or in a humid environment, as this will make the bamboo fibers break down faster.

Unlike disposable plastic cutlery, meant to be discarded after just one use, reusable bamboo cutlery sets can be used repeatedly over many months. You won’t have to buy bamboo cutlery repeatedly, which saves you money and the environment.

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How Should I Clean My Bamboo Cutlery and Cooking Utensils?

Bamboo cutlery is odor-resistant, so your bamboo spoons and forks won’t give off unpleasant smells no matter what cuisine you use them to eat.

To wash your bamboo cutlery and cooking utensils, simply use lukewarm water and dish soap. You can use a dishwashing sponge or your hands. Always dry off bamboo cutlery and cooking spoons with a dry cloth to ensure no water is left on them. Never leave bamboo cutlery soaked in the sink or dishwasher. Always store your bamboo cutlery and cooking utensils in a clean, cool, and dry place.

It is not advisable to use the dishwasher to clean your bamboo cutlery and cooking utensils because the high water temperature can make the bamboo fibers splinter. If you want to use your bamboo cutlery sets for as long as possible, just wash them by hand.

Avoid microwaving bamboo cutlery and cooking spoons because high temperatures degrade bamboo faster. Eating a hot meal with bamboo spoons and forks won’t ruin them, but avoid placing anything made of bamboo in the microwave, fridge, or freezer.

If you carry your bamboo cutlery around in a cloth bag, wash the bag often to prevent it from becoming dirty. You can throw it in the washing machine with your clothes, and it will come out clean.

Since bamboo is a biodegradable material, you can turn your bamboo cutlery into compost once it’s time to dispose of it. It can also be recycled.

Shop Bamboo Cutlery Sets for Kids at My Little Panda

Bamboo is an excellent eco-friendly alternative to plastic. My Little Panda is a UK company offering customers products made from organic bamboo straw and hemp fibers, which are great eco-friendly alternatives to single-use plastic.

By saying no to single-use plastic products, you can help to curb plastic pollution in your neighborhood and the world. My Little Panda’s range of eco-friendly bamboo products includes reusable bamboo cutlery sets, bamboo straws, bamboo cooking utensils, reusable makeup remover pads, reusable bamboo chopsticks, bamboo toothbrush holders, and more. Their products can be engraved with a loved one’s name if you want a personalized present for a special occasion.

You can also check out their rainbow-colored Panda bamboo socks, perfect for gifting to a friend or wearing to the London Pride Parade in July.

You can shop their bamboo products at their online store. To get in touch with the company, contact them here.

I’ve been unknowingly conducting an experiment on compostable cutlery over the last three years. Today I report my findings to you in hopes of dispelling some myths about biodegradable products.

I celebrated a landmark birthday in February nearly three years ago. In our effort to lower our carbon footprint, we bought compostable/biodegradable cutlery and planned to compost everything from the party, including paper plates and cups. As of this morning, those compostable forks and spoons are still with us.

A year ago, it still looked like you could eat with them. This is what happens in an aerobic environment (which works faster at breaking down organic matter than an anaerobic environment, like our landfills). We turn our piles every month, and when we sift out a finished pile, the big pieces go back into the first compost bin to start the process over.

Manufacturers of “biodegradable” cutlery and other products claim these items will break down in commercial compost facilities in 4-6 months and in backyard composters in 12-18 months. My study shows that this is not true.

Another factor in this equation is that compostable and biodegradable materials often end up in the recycle bin, contaminating the waste stream since these products are not plastic or paper but corn or potato.

So, what do we do? I have a suggestion:

Since compostables are not a genuine answer to our waste problem, let’s make it cool to bring your plate and cutlery to every party. Let’s make it fashionable to show up with a snazzy goblet or drinking mug at every social event.

It’s already happening here in LA. At Time Bank potlucks, we all bring our own. It makes doing dishes so much easier at the end because everyone does their own and takes it home.

If you have suggestions for how to reduce waste or eliminate “disposable” items, post a comment below.

For more information, please visit Biodegradable Spoons.