Bamboo bicycles are displayed at Tan Jiangyong's company in Huanjiang Maonan autonomous county, Hechi, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

In 2016, Tan began to produce bamboo bicycles with his new company.

"They're environmentally friendly as they are made from natural materials," he said. "The bamboo's toughness provides shock absorption for the bicycles."

"Furthermore, the continuous orders help my fellow villagers to increase their income through the supply of raw materials, and they can get job opportunities in my factory," he said. "I have planned to incorporate elements of our Maonan ethnic culture into bamboo bicycle manufacturing to promote our ethnic culture to a broader platform."