Hotels and cafés in Yangon, Myanmar’s commercial capital, are increasingly turning to eco-friendly and cost-effective interior decoration made from natural waste materials, including banana fibre and Giant bulrush, as demand grows for designs that complement the city’s urban aesthetic.
Interior décor is commonly refurbished every three years, and businesses are now using value-added products made from natural waste materials as affordable alternatives to conventional furnishings and decorative items.
Banana fibre is being used to make wall coverings, lampshades, baskets, tables, counters, chairs, furniture and room partitions. Dried Giant bulrush is being used for roof and ceiling decorations and lamps, while fresh grass is placed in pots near reception counters, tables, windows, ponds and waterfalls to create a cool, green and tranquil atmosphere.
“Giant bulrush is actually a type of reed and is known as Myet Mon Nyin. Each stalk can grow up to six feet long. A café near Inya Lake ordered six-foot-wide mats made from dried Giant bulrush. About 220 stalks are needed for one six-foot section, while around 15,000 stalks are estimated to be required for one large grass mat. More than 600 six-foot sections are being woven for the project, while other teams will carry out the final decoration,” said U Myint Thein, founder of Green Banana Myanmar.
Hotels are also using the material around swimming pools and recreational areas, as well as in cafés. Similar natural-material decoration has become popular in neighbouring countries, particularly Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, and is now gaining popularity in Yangon.
Before being used for decoration, Giant bulrush is initially dried for three days, processed by machine and woven before undergoing treatment to prevent mould growth.
The growing use of waste and natural materials as decorative products is helping reduce waste, support urban aesthetics, create employment opportunities and promote handicraft industries. It also provides businesses with more affordable alternatives to expensive conventional decorative materials while creating attractive and relaxing interior spaces.
Nyein Thu (MNA)/ST
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