It started with a conversation in a Seattle park.
Michelle and Val had both recently returned from family trips to China, and found themselves talking about what they hoped their daughters would carry with them as they grew — the stories, traditions, curiosity, and sense of connection that had shaped their own childhoods.
From that conversation came Bamboo & Pine: a desire to create toys and experiences that feel joyful and natural, while keeping culture close.
This is the story of the two moms behind it.
Meet Val
I was born on Zhoushan Island in China, where mountains were our constant backdrop and the ocean brought food, livelihood, and abundance. Nature was everywhere, and the rhythm of island life cradled me to sleep.
Now that I’m a mom, I still feel most grounded near water and mountains. No matter how chaotic the world becomes or how challenging motherhood can be, I carry a quiet belief that if my family is close to nature, we will be okay.
For me, Bamboo & Pine is more than a brand. It is a feeling of coming home — a bridge between the place I came from and the place where I am raising my daughter. It reflects how I hope to live and parent: staying rooted in culture, close to nature, curious about the world, and intentional about what we pass on to the next generation.
Meet Michelle
I grew up in Wuhan, China and came to the United States for college, eventually building my career, family, and home here in the Pacific Northwest.
I have spent most of my career in hospitality, where I learned to pay attention to the details that make an experience feel thoughtful, personal, and memorable. Becoming a mother made me start looking at childhood through that same lens.
I began noticing what my daughter naturally returned to — things that invited her to build, create, explore, and figure something out for herself. I also wanted her to feel connected to her Chinese heritage in a way that felt joyful and natural, through stories, play, creativity, and everyday discovery.
Bamboo & Pine became a way to bring those pieces together: my Chinese roots, the life I have built here, my love of thoughtful experiences, and a desire to build something of my own that feels meaningful for families.
I hope our children grow up knowing they never have to choose between where they come from and where they belong.
They can carry both with them.
Rooted in Where We Come From. Growing Where We Are.
Through play, stories and everyday discovery, we hope to make Chinese culture something children can explore, enjoy and make their own.
This is the home we are building for our children — and we are so happy to share a little piece of it with yours.