Bamboo fabric – Because of the almost organic way bamboo plant is grown the fabric made from fibers of this plant is gaining much popularity among the eco-conscious people among us ( Who isn’t these days? ). Many different products like Bath and hand towels, accessories, bedding, garments are being made in this fabric and consumers are lapping it all up.
Other than the eco-label Bamboo fabric has, there are many other advantages to this beautiful fabric. Let me list some favorable facts related to bamboo fabric here.
Bamboo Fabric Benefits
- ☝Bamboo fabric is very soft, in fact, the loyalists and the retailers claim it is as fine as silk. The fiber of the bamboo plant is round and smooth and this makes it super soft.
- ☝Bamboo plant has a natural ability to repel pests; So it does not require any pesticides to grow and thrive, which can only be good.
- ☝Bamboo fibers doesnot under go much chemical processing to make the fabric ; so you can easily wear it without causing any allergic irritation to the skin that is more prevalent with heavily processes fabrics ( Bamboo processing uses caustic soda; So it is not without any chemicals, though better than other fabric manufacturing processes)
- ☝Bamboo plant grows very fast; infact it is one of the fastest growing plants. So you get more fibers in one year than other plants like flax. It is evergrowing and re-grows fast after a harvest.
- ☝Bamboo fibers are water absorbent. So if you live in a humid environment this is the fabric for you. Think of the sweat it will absorb and evaporate out of your body.
- ☝Bamboo fabric breathes, making you comfortable in garments made with this fabric. This is supposed to be due to its matrix structure with microscopic rifts.
- ☝Bamboo fabric is insulating. Infact, it can adapt to any weather and make you cool in hot climate and warm in winter. It is said to be thermal-regulating in that sense. The bamboo fabric claims to be cooler than cotton so those in warmer weather can be very comfortable in this fabric.
- ☝Bamboo fabric is lightweight yet strong.
- ☝Bamboo fabric is claimed to be antibacterial as well. This makes it a suitable fabric for baby products like wipes sheets and towels.
- ☝Bamboo takes dye very well and displays it vividly.
- ☝Bamboo fabric drapes nicely on the body.
- ☝Bamboo fabric is biodegradable hence those concerned about the footprint your chemically grown fabric leaves on this earth need not be with this fabric.
How is Bamboo fabric made?
First, the bamboo stalks are cut into small pieces. Bamboo undergoes a process in which it is made into wood pulp. This wood pulp is dried into sheets and these sheets are then made into the soft viscose. Viscose is then processed to form bamboo thread which forms the yarn used to weave the bamboo fabric.
Is Bamboo Fabric organic?
Bamboo fabric cannot claim to be an organic fabric because of the processing involved in its production but there are many pluses which make it a favourable fabric choice for me. Bamboo grows very fast and it also spread fast across large areas of cultivation without the use of fertilizers and without the need for pesticides. And that is organic enough for me when I consider the large scale use of pesticides in the production of other plant fibers.
What are the types of Bamboo fabric available?
100% bamboo – This is the true blue bamboo fabric which is very soft and almost feels like silk.
Bamboo & organic cotton blend – This is suitable for screen printing unlike pure bamboo fabric.
Lycra/spandex Bamboo blend – Lycra or spandex is blended with bamboo to give it the elastic stretchy property of these fabrics
Bamboo fleece – this is a textured but drapey fabric with some stretch. One side is flat and even this side can be used as the right side when making clothes. This fabric is a great choice for making sportswear and activewear.
Bamboo Jersey – This is a jersey knit fabric (maybe a pure bamboo fabric or a blend with lycra) with all the characteristics of a jersey fabric. This stretchy fabric is used to make casual clothes like casual jackets, kid’s wear, tank tops and t-shirts.
How to care for Bamboo fabric
Follow the directions on the garment for the specific care of bamboo fabric. Most Bamboo fabrics shrink after wash to about 2-3% unless it is preshrunk
Handwashing is recommended for bamboo clothes so that the shape of the garment is not distorted. At least do not tumble dry. Tumble drying bamboo clothes is really not advised. Line drying is the best option to retain the shape of bamboo fabric garments.
Use a synthetic setting on your iron to press bamboo fabric. Bamboo fabric does not tolerate high heat. Also do not use steam pressing with bamboo fabric.
Related posts : Organic cotton; 15 best eco friendly fabrics; Names of different fabrics ; Cotton fabric : Different types ; Linen fabric; Names of water-absorbing fabrics
Comparing bamboo with cotton- which is better?
Most cottons are cheaper than bamboo material. Bamboo and cotton are both made from plant fibers. Both are moisture absorbing, breathable. Both are made from renewable natural resources.
But bamboo plant grows with lesser pesticides than cotton plant. And also lesser water. So Bamboo is considered a more sustainable option. It is often compared to cotton in terms of strength and longevity.
Organic versions of both fabrics are very skin friendly and suitable for making kids’ clothes. Bamboo is also very soft – this cannot be said about all the cotton fabrics. In the bamboo vs cotton sustainability argument usually bamboo fabric wins.
Why is bamboo fabric sustainable?
Bamboo is a fast-growing grass that requires minimal water and does not rely on chemical pesticides or fertilizers for its growth. Bamboo can be harvested without killing the plant and it regenerates quickly. These qualities make bamboo a renewable resource with the potential for low environmental impact. But not all bamboo fabrics ( like bamboo rayon) may be sustainable. Other factors like energy consumption, water usage, chemical management, and transportation are also to be considered. Look out for certications like Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and OEKO-TEX Standard 100 to be assured of sustainability and eco-friendliness of a particular product.
Is bamboo clothing toxic?
Bamboo fabric can be termed toxic when it is made using a chemical process, involving breaking down the bamboo fibers using chemical solvents to create a pulp. This is then extruded into fibers and spun into yarn. This process yields a finer and softer fabric suitable for clothing – known as bamboo rayon or viscose. The chemicals used in this process can be harmful to the environment, so the toxic claim. Bamboo fabric made by mechanically crushing the bamboo plant to extract the fibers are not considered toxic.
Hello I was wondering how to order some of this for an invention that I have thought of. If you can get back to me I am very interested in this material. Thank you and God Bless
Hi,
I would like to know if you have any recommendations for high quality sportswear. which percentage bamboo and which other materials/percentages do you think is best?
I don’t want to lose the natural benefits bamboo has on clothing.
Hi,
I would like to know whether 66% bamboo, 26% cotton,8% spandex is possible to be used as underwear material?
I’m checking mostly for underwear using viscose bamboo, thus mixing between bamboo, cotton and spandex is confunsing.
Hope you can help:)
As far as I know, it is perfectly fine. You need some spandex for stretch in underwear fabric. Fibers are usually blended like that for better mixing of properties.
I would like to know if bamboo jersey would make a good swimsuit material.
Hi
When it has some elastane (spandex) content, It is a very good material for swimsuit I think.