PurposeBamboo scrimber is a new natural fiber-reinforced composite material in the modern industry. In this paper, the strength characteristics of this material were chosen as the object of study.Design/methodology/approachFirst, axial tensile fracture experiments were conducted on different test specimens to determine the corresponding strength data. Then three commonly used distribution models were applied to analyze the relationship between the strength and survival rate.FindingsThe results show that the tensile data demonstrate obvious dispersion. In addition, the three-parameter Weibull model fits the data best and may be used as the fundamental model for future analysis.Originality/valueSpecial statistical analysis research of the bamboo material experimental results has rarely been discovered. This paper provides a solid foundation for better understanding the mechanism of the bamboo scrimber strength phenomenon.