These bamboo placemats are made in Hanoi, Vietnam, by a small family business and are shipped, not flown to the UK to minimise carbon emissions. The art and science of lacquering bamboo may be 4000 years old. Bamboo is a wonderful raw material, with sustainable plantations providing high quality raw material. And natural lacquer from the “Varnish Tree” (Rhus Veniciflua) is harvested like rubber, from the living tree. Throughout Vietnam there are craftsmen still working in the traditional way, and our supplier in Hanoi is rightly proud of their quality.

The business aims to create jobs for people from traditional craft villages, helping them build a better life through improved income and support. They pride themselves on offering fair wages, a friendly working environment and clean, safe working conditions. They also believe in fair working hours, offer medical and social insurance, yearly health checks and provide financial support for workers and their families during times of illness.