Traditional applications of mechanically robust bamboo are mostly confined to flat and straight components. Here, we investigated the tunable bending characteristics of bamboo strips by regulating the moisture content as a means to achieve efficient fabrication of single-layer and multi-layer bamboo curved components (SBCCs and MBCCs). Under the two opposite radial bending modes, the bending strength of bamboo strips decreased while their ductility and toughness increased as the moisture content increased from 0 % to 35 %, and the asymmetry of the bending properties became more pronounced. Moisture in bamboo strips was a double-edged sword for curved component manufacturing. Bamboo strips with high moisture content had higher bendability, which was conducive to improving the bending pass rate of SBCCs. At a bending radius of 70 mm, the total bending pass rate of SBCCs made from bamboo strips with 35 % moisture content was 85.9 % higher than that of SBCCs made from bamboo strips with 0 % moisture content. However, excessive moisture content could easily reduce the bending stability of the SBCCs and affect the bonding properties of the MBCCs. The optimal moisture content of bamboo strips for manufacturing curved components was 10–18 %, and increasing the moisture content of bamboo strips could produce components with complex shapes. The results can provide more possibilities for innovative bamboo product design and engineering applications, thereby promoting the utilization of sustainable and eco-friendly bamboo.