Brilliant Bamboo

We are proud to be hosting this year’s UK Bamboo Summit in Stoke-on-Trent along with our Bamboo in the UK Group collaborators. Brilliant Bamboo is based in Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme and we work to provide opportunities for people to play, connect and imagine through working with bamboo with people from across-sectors and knowledge. We’re an organisation that’s for people and for planet. By exploring the wider website you can see our ambition and our work so far. 

As part of the Bamboo in the UK Group, we are committed to building collaboration, strengthening the case for bamboo use, engaging communities and the public in the skills, experience and creativity that bamboo can invite, and supporting the UK’s transition to a sustainable, net-zero economy. 

Atelier One

We are a structural engineering consultancy with a global reputation for delivering innovative and technically complex projects. We work collaboratively with leading architects, artists, and designers to bring landmark buildings, cultural installations, and public structures to life. Our expertise spans a wide range of materials and structural systems, and we are particularly interested in exploring sustainable alternatives such as bamboo. We are currently investigating how bamboo can be integrated into modern construction while meeting UK safety, performance, and regulatory standards. Within the Bamboo in the UK Group, we contribute technical expertise and practical design insights, helping to promote bamboo as a credible, high-performance building material for the UK.

Bamboo Bicycle Club

We empower people to design and build their own bamboo bicycles through workshops, kits, and educational programmes. By working hands-on with bamboo, participants create high-performance, lightweight, and durable frames while learning about sustainability and design. Our work shows bamboo’s strength, flexibility, and suitability for performance engineering while reducing reliance on carbon-intensive materials. We collaborate with schools, universities, and community organisations to promote STEM learning and environmental awareness. In the Bamboo in the UK Group, we bring expertise in small-scale manufacturing, product innovation, and community engagement, inspiring wider interest in sustainable materials.

Coventry University – Dr David Trujillo

I am an academic at Coventry University specialising in structural engineering, sustainable construction, and alternative materials. My research focuses on bamboo, exploring its mechanical properties, structural behaviour, and potential for modern construction in the UK and internationally. I lead and participate in collaborative research projects, publish peer-reviewed work, and advise on developing technical standards for bamboo structures. In the Bamboo in the UK Group, I provide technical guidance grounded in robust engineering research, ensuring our decisions are informed by best practice

Sir Harold Hillier Gardens – Franziska Clifton

At Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, we manage one of the UK’s leading horticultural sites, with extensive plant collections and conservation programmes. Covering 180 acres and home to over 42,000 plants, we hold a significant and diverse collection of bamboo species. Our horticultural expertise helps the Bamboo in the UK Group understand which varieties are most suitable for domestic production and commercial use. Through public engagement, exhibitions, and educational activities, we raise awareness of bamboo’s role in sustainable landscaping, construction, and manufacturing, while contributing to biodiversity and conservation goals.

Imagineer Productions 

Imagineer specialises in large-scale outdoor arts and engineering projects, combining creativity, performance, and technical artistry. The Imagine Bamboo project, a collaboration with independent artistic director, Orit Azaz, invites people from different disciplines and walks of life to explore what we can design, build, create, play and imagine with the kinds of bamboo that grow in the UK. 

The Bamboo in the UK Group has evolved as a result of Imagine Bamboo and is convened by Orit. Imagineer brings expertise in public engagement, public art, community co-creation, involvement of artists and creative practitioners and cross-sector collaboration, helping to increase public awareness and inspire interest from businesses and decision-makers.

Terragrn

We focus on regenerative agriculture, reforestation, and sustainable land management, with bamboo at the heart of many of our projects. We design and implement agroforestry systems that combine bamboo with other crops, improving biodiversity, restoring soil, and supporting sustainable livelihoods. In the Bamboo in the UK Group, we contribute cultivation expertise, project design knowledge, and data on bamboo’s environmental benefits, strengthening the evidence base for policy and investment decisions.

The Bamboo Society of Great Britain

We are a membership organisation bringing together enthusiasts, growers, and researchers to share knowledge and promote bamboo in the UK. Our members range from horticulturalists and academics to commercial producers and hobbyists, creating a rich network of expertise. We provide resources on species identification, cultivation, and use, and we connect the wider bamboo community to industry and policy discussions. In the Bamboo in the UK Group, we ensure decisions are informed by accurate botanical knowledge and practical growing experience led by former president, Michael Brisbane.

UK Bamboo Supplies Limited

We are the UK’s leading importer and distributor of bamboo products for construction, landscaping, horticulture, and interior design. We source high-quality bamboo from trusted global suppliers, ensuring rigorous quality, sustainability, and ethical standards. Our expertise in logistics, supply chains, and product specification helps UK businesses access bamboo at scale. Within the Bamboo in the UK Group, we bring market insights, supply chain expertise, and product innovation, ensuring that as interest in bamboo grows, businesses have the means to make it part of their operations.