The Anji Mountain People

Knowing who made your bamboo rugs is just as important as knowing how they're made. The people of the Anji Mountains actually live a very different lifestyle than the rest of stereotypical China. They are over 3 hours removed from the hustle and bustle of cities like Shanghai and are surrounded by towering plants and gorgeous mountains versus massive sky scrapers and crowded streets.

Landscape: The Anji Mountain Region is 3/4 forests with the other 25% being recently developed villages, and productions facilities where bamboo products are made, as well as white tea fields. The reason the region and its people have been able to maintain such an eco-friendly lifestyle is due to government mandated programs to help preserve the natural beauty and health of that area. The local people are fierce about their eco-friendly agriculture and strive to maintain a region that can output pollution free textiles. 

 

 

Health: Because of the active lifestyle and lack of pollution or other harmful bi-products, less than 1% of the Anji Mountain people have any major health problems (such as heart disease or diabetes). White tea grown in the region helps support healthy living in many ways. This particular type of tea has tons of antioxidants which lower chances of cancer, diabetes, stroke and heart problems.

 

Economy: The Anji Mountain economy consists primarily of the sale of white tea, bamboo, and tourism. White tea leaves are extremely rare and were once thought to have been completely removed from China. Because they're so plentiful in the Anji Mountain region, local farmers can actually make a significant amount of money when the leaves are harvested in April. Bamboo accounts for a large portion of the economy as well. Not only do locals mass produce tons of bamboo products, like the bamboo rugs and bamboo chair mats we sell, bamboo accounts for 1/4 of Anji County's gross ouput of agricultural and industrial economy.