An enterprise in the central Portuguese municipality of Anadia has begun making bicycles out of bamboo, Público reports.

The Portuguese newspaper says the venture, bam.bu Bicycles, was started by a Portuguese brother and sister, Tiago and Joana Saavedra, after Mr Saavedra visited Ms Saavedra in China, where she works, and the siblings saw the potential of bamboo as a material for making bicycles.

The report says the prototypes are now being tested.

It quotes Mr Saavedra as saying bam.bu Bicycles uses bamboo only for the frames at present, but is looking into the possibility of using it for other components.

Using bamboo to make bicycles does less damage to the environment than using conventional materials or even wood, Público quotes Mr Saavedra as saying.