Who could've imagined that sustainability could look this good? When we often categorize things as ecologically friendly, biodegradable, or recyclable, we assume they may not have the same aesthetic appeal. In search of an eco-friendly watch choice, our collection of some of the best bamboo watches sport a natural feel and come in a range of looks to strike just the right blend of style, form, and function.
You'll find these bamboo watches, without exception, stylish, made with care for the environment, and more than worth the money. Furthermore, brands make each featured timepiece below from materials sourced from the bamboo plant, minimizing plastic use common in watches of a similar and affordable price point.
You'll also find that all of our top choices have abandoned the digital look and gone retro with analog movements. This is not to say that any of these watches have sacrificed 21st-century accuracy for a timeless, throwback look. Instead, they have combined the elegance of timepieces with hands, the perfect accuracy of current technology, and the sustainability of the ecologically astute.
The advent of watches with plastic housing ushered in an age in which watch wearers came to enjoy and expect lightweight timepieces. As such, many a watch wearer supplanted the solid feel of a pocket watch or wristwatch with a steel case with plastic.
No doubt plastic watches last a relatively long time and by no stretch cause as many problems as the single-use plastic filling our kitchen cupboards or bathroom shelves. And plastic, of course, ultimately comes from oil and is a scourge on the environment.
For a wrist-born statement that also suggests care for the environment, plastic simply won't do. Of course, the best materials for eco-friendly wristwear grow naturally and sustainably.
Meanwhile, bamboo also has the quality of being as light as plastic. It is incredibly resilient when dropped or struck. Makers can render a bamboo wooden watch watertight, and you'll find it amazingly strong.
Beyond the feel and look of bamboo on your wrist, you may be interested in the difference using bamboo makes in the industrial world. It grows in a wide variety of climates and is incredibly hardy. Indeed, bamboo lays claim to be the fastest-growing plant in the world. This ability to rejuvenate itself led to its outstanding sustainability rating and a minimal carbon footprint. Plus, they make a great gift idea or treat yourself.
Related: Grab a pair of bamboo sunglasses to complete the look.
Quick links to our picks of the best bamboo watches:
BOBO Bird makes a great many bamboo and wood watches. In particular, they offer women's, men's, and unisex styles that are both creative and attractive.
We've featured this classic style for women, perfect for casual wear and complete with a unique, natural strap style.
All Bobo Watches use eco-friendly wood or bamboo and ditch chemical paints for hypoallergenic wear. Furthermore, Bobo Watches come in a reusable bamboo case to keep them safe during transit. It also makes a great little container for holding smaller items on a dresser, as many happy customers attest. Furthermore, they offer free shipping globally with a spend of over $39.
If this one isn't quite right, BOBO Bird also does a line in lightweight casual sports watches and more understated lines for business or formal wear, from stylish numbers with a large face to a number with personalized engraving.
Like BOBO Bird, treehut manufacturers a number of wooden watches, about a quarter of which they make from sustainable bamboo. No chemicals or paints go into the construction of Treehut's bamboo watch range.
We've featured this minimal bamboo watch perfect for wearing day to day or sporting your environmental credentials during weekend outings. This bamboo watch comes in various shades and, like all Treehut watches, offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
These watches have loads of 5-star reviews, and owners note their long-lasting qualities. However, they're only splash-resistant when it comes to beachwear or water sports, so best to take them off when you're about to get wet.
Not all of Bewell's fine watches are the colorful conversation piece that this watch is. Like all of the watches in the Bewell collection, it is amazingly accurate and highly resistant to scratches and rough treatment. The variety of colors makes something of a time-telling statement perfect for those looking for a bit of fun in your eco-friendly wristwatch choice.
This classic bamboo watch easily makes our best-of list, not least as they are lightweight and reliable and come with a bamboo case and strap. Furthermore, these watches stand out with a copper face and an option to hand paint an accent color on the strap.
Designed and manufactured in a small UK-based design studio, we love that these bamboo watches stand out with a unique aesthetic making them perfect for men or women looking for handcrafted yet universal appeal.
Another classic line, Sentai, makes these lightweight watches from sustainably sourced bamboo. Similar to other bamboo products we've listed, they provide a non-toxic alternative perfect for those seeking to avoid chemical-based paints and treatments.
This classic style features an imprinted map of the world and a leather strap. Sentai packages its bamboo watches in a cardboard gift box ready to wrap, perfect for fathers' day or birthday gifts.
Another handcrafted number, this seller sources sustainable bamboo to make a fine line of stylish bamboo watches.
Our featured piece has a unique rectangular shape and stands out with a coral blue face and leather strap. You can also order the face in white, and each bamboo watch comes with a 2-year guarantee. Elsewhere on their site, this seller also has a great selection of more traditional round-faced sustainable watches, sunglasses, and treeless accessories.
This bamboo watch has a unique hexagon style and classic date window. Tense hand makes durable watches and a wider range of wooden styles in its own workshop in Vancouver.
From their use of renewable energy to tree planting campaigns, you're buying from a company that champions eco-friendly manufacturing when you buy from Tense. Since 1971 Tense has been working to create timepieces from natural materials that last.
Gorben presents its chic watches in a fashionable case to enable them to be worn as dependable timepieces or given as gifts appropriate for virtually any occasion.
This item comes with the option of an engraved personal message and, as such, is an ideal gift. The manufacturers have developed this watch, like their other products, to stand up to rugged, outdoor service.
Shunning large-scale manufacture, many of the bamboo watch brands available today are carefully made in smaller studios by experienced craftsmen. The best bamboo watches featured all come with quality guarantees of a year or two.
As bamboo is lightweight and hardwearing, your bamboo watch will prove durable and long-lasting with a little care.
Sustainably sourced bamboo grows faster than trees, uses less water, and is more readily renewed. Most of the bamboo products we've featured do inevitably use other materials for the actual timepiece and straps. These may include metal, leather, or plastic faces.
When shopping for sustainable watches, take the time to choose those that retain their eco-friendliness through sustainable packaging while avoiding chemical-based dyes.
One of the best things about bamboo watches is that you'll find them both affordable and stylish. A click around some of the brands featured will undoubtedly result in a bamboo watch style to suit your look or lifestyle with various face styles, colorways, and straps. Many of these brands are pointing the way in the watch industry toward more sustainable production.
Of course, they all share the eco-friendly feel of naturally sourced bamboo, so you can set out wearing timepieces that echo an environmentally friendly ethos.
Bamboo watches and wooden watches rival watches with plastic and metal cases in virtually every respect. They differ in being more attractive, dependable, accurate, rugged, and affordable. They are also produced from sustainable, renewable sources. A new watch made of wood or bamboo is a most timely gift.
guide
