Sustainability Series - Bamboo Bicycle Club and Bradfield Design bring sustainability and creativity into the classroom
Published 18th September 2025
Teachers looking to inspire students with hands-on learning, sustainable design and innovation can take inspiration from the collaboration between Bamboo Bicycle Club and Bradfield Design. The project, called ‘Beyond Bradfield’, blends sustainability, design aesthetics and STEM principles in a workshop that takes design and technology learning far beyond traditional bicycle building.
Led by Nick Mills, Head of Design at Bradfield College, alongside James Marr, founder of Bamboo Bicycle Club, the workshop gives students the chance to design and build a bamboo bicycle frame from scratch. From frame design and jig setup to working with natural composites, bicycle maintenance and safe riding practices, pupils gain practical skills while exploring the potential of sustainable materials.
Why bamboo inspires future designers
Bamboo is an extraordinary material. It absorbs 30% more CO2 than timber, grows at rapid rates and has a higher tensile strength than many metals. For teachers, it opens up engaging conversations about renewable resources, sustainable futures and net-zero goals, all while linking directly to hands-on classroom activity.
Nick Mills explains: “Crafting bamboo bicycles goes beyond the workshop; it’s a journey of innovation, environmental responsibility, and the integration of STEM principles.”
Practical learning with a lasting impact
Since 2012, Bamboo Bicycle Club has been supporting schools and communities in exploring bicycle building while advancing research into bamboo’s applications. Their collaboration with Bradfield Design has created a unique opportunity for students to experience first-hand the challenges of engineering, problem-solving and sustainable design.
To extend this learning further, teachers can draw on our ‘Inspired by Industry’ context from Lisi Aerospace. This free context challenges students to consider how strength and lightweight design can work together, the same engineering principles found in bamboo bicycle building. It’s a natural complement, encouraging pupils to experiment with materials, CAD tools and testing methods while making real industry links. Members also have access to exclusive Focused Tasks (FTs), Investigative and Evaluative Activities (IEAs) and curriculum units that support delivery of this context in the classroom.
To support teachers further, a handy downloadable PDF article is available. This resource can be kept in your classroom as inspiration to revisit and share whenever you want to highlight how sustainability and creativity can come alive in design and technology.
