Given the well-established trend toward environmentally-friendly products, we have seen an increased interest in eco-friendly custom retail displays. Products that are good for you as well as good for the environment have been hot for quite a while and show no signs of slowing down any time soon. It’s no surprise that eco-friendly brands are looking for merchandising displays that also are eco-friendly to ensure that they are presenting a consistent brand message. One of the best eco-friendly materials we have found for creating permanent retail displays is bamboo.
Bamboo is a 100% rapidly renewable resource which is available as an architectural-grade material for building and décor, as well as for use in retail store fixtures and displays. Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on earth. Some species of bamboo have been clocked to grow nearly 4 ft. in a 24-hour period. Bamboo can regenerate to its full mass in 6 months compared to hardwoods which can take up to 30-50 years. In addition to being acclaimed as an environmentally sustainable material, bamboo’s strength, durability, and aesthetic appeal make it an ideal material selection for many commercial or residential projects involving cabinets, furniture, countertops, ceilings, walls, related décor applications, and of course, retail displays. Bamboo naturally qualifies for FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification while also qualifying for the following LEED® credits: IEQc4.4 (Low-Emitting Materials (No added urea formaldehyde)), MRc6 (Rapidly Renewable Materials), and MRc7 (Certified Wood). We believe the best bamboo plywood product on the market is BamTuff®.
Bamboo can be milled, cut, sanded, drilled, glued, stained and finished just like any hardwood. Bamboo plywood’s laminated 3-ply construction makes it one of the strongest and most durable plywood products on the market, while also offering exceptional dimensional stability. Available in both edge and flat surface grains and in natural and amber tones, bamboo plywood typically comes in 4’x 8’ sheets (¼”, ½”, or ¾” thick for most applications). Bamboo plywood is an open-grain material that readily accepts a wide range of stains and finishes to match any desired decor.
Let’s take a look at some recent bamboo ecological displays that have been designed and manufactured by RICH LTD. in the company’s Oceanside, CA millwork operation. The first example is a bamboo counter display we made for Coola’s new line of tinted SPF lip balms. Coola requested bamboo to reinforce its all-natural brand image. This ecological display was constructed using 3/4″ clear-coated amber bamboo and included CNC-cut slots for 8 product SKUs and testers, as well as a laser engraved logo. The display was debuted in 1000 Ulta stores and was also recently shipped to 300 independent beauty supply stores.
We also made another counter bamboo display to display Coola’s line of all-natural SPF sun care and after-tan products on Celebrity Cruise Lines. The main display material was clear coated amber bamboo. We added a laser-cut white acrylic dimensional logo and a screen printed white acrylic base plate.
Our third example is a sunscreen dispenser that was designed for spas. We used the same clear coated amber bamboo and added a laser-engraved Coola logo.
Our fourth example is a bamboo counter display for an emerging specialty apparel company called Ukes. We created the display shown below for Ukes’ line of sunglass straps. In addition to the bamboo structure, we added laser-cut acrylic logo letters and a digitally printed PVC header sign. The Ukes display was designed to be rolled out to independent surf shops, sporting goods stores, college book stores and specialty retailers.
Our fifth example is a 3-tiered yoga mat display we designed and manufactured for Jade Yoga. Using bamboo was an excellent way to reinforce the natural aspects of the Jade Yoga brand. We added laser engraving to the base and header and a 1-color silk screen on the sides. These displays have been well received in Dick’s Sporting Goods and independent yoga studios.
Our sixth example is a counter display we made for Stojo’s line of eco-friendly collapsible coffee cups. Shown without product below, this simple display holds 12 coffee cups and is constructed of clear coated amber bamboo. This ecological display includes 6 single peg hooks and features laser-engraved product branding.
Our seventh example is a modular bamboo counter display we created for Universal Bioscience’s line of essential oils. The display is shown stacked double high below and includes shelf graphics, shelf dividers, a clear acrylic shelf front, and a PVC header sign.
In addition to these ecological displays, we have made some awesome desktops for a standing desk company called Standee Co. (www.standeeco.com). Two examples are shown below.
Jim Hollen is the owner and President of RICH LTD. (www.richltd.com), a 35+ year-old California-based point-of-purchase display, retail store fixture, and merchandising solutions firm which has been named among the Top 50 U.S. POP display companies for 9 consecutive years. A former management consultant with McKinsey & Co. and graduate of Stanford Business School, Jim Hollen has served more than 3000 brands and retailers over more than 20 years and has authored nearly 500 blogs and e-Books on a wide range of topics related to POP displays, store fixtures, and retail merchandising.
Jim has been to China more than 50 times and has worked directly with more than 30 factories in Asia across a broad range of material categories, including metal, wood, acrylic, injection molded and vacuum formed plastic, corrugated, glass, LED lighting, digital media player, and more. Jim Hollen also oversees RICH LTD.’s domestic manufacturing operation and has experience manufacturing, sourcing, and importing from numerous Asian countries as well as Vietnam and Mexico.
His experience working with brands and retailers spans more than 25 industries such as food and beverage, apparel, consumer electronics, cosmetics/beauty, sporting goods, automotive, pet, gifts and souvenirs, toys, wine and spirits, home improvement, jewelry, eyewear, footwear, consumer products, mass market retail, specialty retail, convenience stores, and numerous other product/retailer categories.