Bamboo — Nature's Eco-friendly Packaging Solution

It's Renewable, Local and Biodegradable

Paper and plastic may be the most common packaging options, but they’re not the only ones. At Dell, we’ve pioneered the use of bamboo to protect certain devices. This giant member of the grass family, found in everything from food to flooring, is now also a sustainable packaging solution. We use it to cushion some of our lightweight products.


Challenge: Find a greener alternative to petroleum-derived materials to protect products.	Solution: Use a rapidly renewable material to create trays for select models.	Benefits: Grows back at up to an inch per hour and is easily recyclable.

Why Bamboo?

Bamboo packaging helps reduce environmental impacts and promote a healthier planet. Here are a few reasons why you can feel good about Dell bamboo packaging:

It’s local — The bamboo used for our packaging grows close to the facilities that manufacture our products. This reduces our packaging-related carbon footprint.
It grows quickly — Bamboo is the fastest growing woody plant in the world. It can grow up to 24" (nearly 61 cm) a day. It can be harvested in just three to seven years — much faster than hardwoods. This makes bamboo highly renewable and a great alternative to foams, corrugate and molded paper pulp.
It’s strong and durable — Like steel, bamboo can withstand lots of stress while being stretched or pulled, which is why it’s used for boats, construction scaffolding and other items that require strength and flexibility. Because it’s so tough, we know it can protect your technology equipment effectively.
It’s a friend of the environment — Bamboo helps promote healthy soil. The plant’s deep root systems protect against soil erosion. When harvested correctly, bamboo doesn’t require replanting afterward. Plus, Dell bamboo packaging is biodegradable and can be composted after use.

The bamboo used for our packaging grows close to the facilities that manufacture our products. This reduces our packaging-related carbon footprint.

Responsible Sourcing

Sustainability is built into all processes associated with the production of the bamboo. For example, after it is harvested, it is mechanically pulped at a nearby facility. During this process, 70 percent of the water is reclaimed and used in the process (the other 30 percent is lost to vaporization). Nothing is poured out and no toxic chemicals are used. If it's sunny, the pulp is dried by the sun, reducing electricity use.

While the demand for bamboo has increased as others have recognized its value, we continue to use it for select product packaging.

Recycle or Compost

Our bamboo cushioning’s environmental credential include being easily recycled in most local recycling programs. What’s more, our bamboo packaging has been certified as compostable per ASTM International standards by an independent test lab. This certification ensures the bamboo will compost at a rate comparable to known compostable materials.

Because of the high quality of fiber and the extensive willingness to accept the cushioning as recyclable in the U.S., we include the easily recognizable "chasing arrows" as a reminder to our customers that they can recycle our bamboo packaging in many communities.

Toss It in Your Compost Pile

Adding to its environmental credentials, Dell bamboo packaging has been certified as compostable as per ASTM International standards by an independent test laboratory. This certification ensures that the bamboo will compost satisfactorily and biodegrade at a rate comparable to known compostable materials. It also ensures that the compost resulting from the packaging’s degradation process is of good quality and can sustain plant growth.