Bamboo is paired with leather in this practical yet stylish backpack crafted by Zhang Jin Rong, bamboo craftsman and founder of Shang Xin Yue Shi Bamboo Furniture Studio in Taiwan.
Craftsman
Zhang Jin Rong was originally engaged in the aquarium industry. The opportunity for him to enter the industry of bambooware making was the time that he passed by a bamboo shop by chance to take pictures out of curiosity. He found himself very interested in bamboo craftsmanship and wanted to become an apprentice. He then visited the shop again with his own tools, and finally started his apprenticeship after seeking consent from the store owner.
His master emphasised on fundamental skills and required Zhang to make sixty small bamboo chairs as practice, before he could start crafting other bamboo utensils. After four years of apprenticeship, Zhang established his own studio in Xinying, Tainan. Aspiring for perfection, he prefers to hand-pick and chop bamboo by himself in order to identify the most suitable materials.
The artisan applied triangle weave technique, crossed and interacted three bamboo strips into one triangular hole. It is often to see this skill being adopted on round objects, bottoms and lids. For triangle weave, the strips used are usually flat and cut in the same width. The backpack makes an ideal carrier for everyday use.