http://www.greenlivingonline.com/BeautyFashion/how-green-is-bamboo-fabric/
(Oct 2, 2007)
Found in your favourite Chinese dishes and on the floors of many modern homes, bamboo has made its way into another key aspect of our lives -- clothing. But just how green is this verstaile new fabric with is variety of benefits? 
Pros
The beauty and benefits of bamboo fibre go far beyond the surface. More affordable than silk, bamboo has a similar drape (how softly it floats on your body) and is slightly stronger, along with having a natural sheen. Unlike silk, bamboo can easily be tossed into a washer and dryer, making it much simpler to take care of. Also wrinkle-resistant, bamboo can be ironed at a low temperature if ever needed and has very little shrinkage.
Due to the fabric’s natural structure, bamboo is very breathable, helping the wearer to stay cool in the summer and warmer in the winter, making it perfect for layers and exercise wear. Thanks to a natural agent in the plant itself, bamboo is also highly anti-bacterial, absorbing three to four times more water than cotton fabric without sticking to your skin.
These are all spectacular benefits and it is hard to believe that there are downsides to this advanced textile … but there is.
Cons
While the bamboo plant has many uses and has quickly become a key source of income for many rural citizens of China, the issues behind the production of bamboo fabric have begun to surface. During a recent investigative mission, the Organic Clothing blog from Lotus Organics uncovered detailed information about how dangerous chemicals are used to transform the plant into liquid and then into fibres to be spun into fabric. These chemicals can cause a plethora of health problems and neural disorders for the manufacturing workers. With no Fair Trade certifications or sustainable production credentials, a developing nation like China rarely (if at all) uses systems to help control the production and disposal of those chemicals.
Seeing bamboo as a "greener" substitute for silk, many designers are clamoring to use it in their collection, including couture and everyday brands. This high demand has forced Chinese manufacturers to begin clearing out natural forests in order to plant more fast-growing bamboo. On top of this, many cultivators are starting to use fertilizers that wouldn’t meet U.S. organic standards in order to increase the yield of their plantations. Additional weeding and tilling of the land in turn leads to increased soil erosion in these areas.
Last but not least, China is currently the only manufacturer of bamboo fabric, making it impossible to look for an alternative, local source for this textile. While bamboo can be easily grown in many areas, there are no factories in North America that have the machines to chemically manufacture bamboo fibres. The Chinese have hundreds of generations of experience in growing bamboo - so far, a number of Americans have begun to try grow their own in their backyard, quickly finding that this tall grass can easily overtake all of their land.
Final thought
To buy or not to buy - that is the question. If you are planning on purchasing bamboo goods, the key is to look for some kind, ANY kind, of certification (though there is yet to be any kind of international standard for bamboo). The natural benefits available within the bamboo plant are wide, but a more sustainable manufacturing process is still needed to make this fabric truly green; til then, your best (and more eco) alternative is still organic cotton.
Victoria Everman is a freelance writer, model, on-camera personality and founder of the San Francisco Craft Mafia.
How green is bamboo fabric?
Image: istockphoto.com/Steve Dibblee
Pros
The beauty and benefits of bamboo fibre go far beyond the surface. More affordable than silk, bamboo has a similar drape (how softly it floats on your body) and is slightly stronger, along with having a natural sheen. Unlike silk, bamboo can easily be tossed into a washer and dryer, making it much simpler to take care of. Also wrinkle-resistant, bamboo can be ironed at a low temperature if ever needed and has very little shrinkage.
Due to the fabric’s natural structure, bamboo is very breathable, helping the wearer to stay cool in the summer and warmer in the winter, making it perfect for layers and exercise wear. Thanks to a natural agent in the plant itself, bamboo is also highly anti-bacterial, absorbing three to four times more water than cotton fabric without sticking to your skin.
These are all spectacular benefits and it is hard to believe that there are downsides to this advanced textile … but there is.
Cons
While the bamboo plant has many uses and has quickly become a key source of income for many rural citizens of China, the issues behind the production of bamboo fabric have begun to surface. During a recent investigative mission, the Organic Clothing blog from Lotus Organics uncovered detailed information about how dangerous chemicals are used to transform the plant into liquid and then into fibres to be spun into fabric. These chemicals can cause a plethora of health problems and neural disorders for the manufacturing workers. With no Fair Trade certifications or sustainable production credentials, a developing nation like China rarely (if at all) uses systems to help control the production and disposal of those chemicals.
Seeing bamboo as a "greener" substitute for silk, many designers are clamoring to use it in their collection, including couture and everyday brands. This high demand has forced Chinese manufacturers to begin clearing out natural forests in order to plant more fast-growing bamboo. On top of this, many cultivators are starting to use fertilizers that wouldn’t meet U.S. organic standards in order to increase the yield of their plantations. Additional weeding and tilling of the land in turn leads to increased soil erosion in these areas.
Last but not least, China is currently the only manufacturer of bamboo fabric, making it impossible to look for an alternative, local source for this textile. While bamboo can be easily grown in many areas, there are no factories in North America that have the machines to chemically manufacture bamboo fibres. The Chinese have hundreds of generations of experience in growing bamboo - so far, a number of Americans have begun to try grow their own in their backyard, quickly finding that this tall grass can easily overtake all of their land.
Final thought
To buy or not to buy - that is the question. If you are planning on purchasing bamboo goods, the key is to look for some kind, ANY kind, of certification (though there is yet to be any kind of international standard for bamboo). The natural benefits available within the bamboo plant are wide, but a more sustainable manufacturing process is still needed to make this fabric truly green; til then, your best (and more eco) alternative is still organic cotton.
Victoria Everman is a freelance writer, model, on-camera personality and founder of the San Francisco Craft Mafia.
7 Comments
posted Dec 4, 2007 - 1:12 pm by Amy Brooks
Hello I have uniform company that primarily uses Hemp Fabrics I am looking for more information on Hemp fiber good and bad. Also testing on longevity vs synthetic blends. Any resources you may have would be greatly appreciated.Thanks
Amy
posted Jan 18, 2008 - 11:13 am by Mo
First, thank you for the fact that you take the time to write this blog in an effort to better inform people regarding their choices. With so many varying opinions, statements (and mis-statements) it's hard to know what to believe.The myth that bamboo is not 'green' seems to be growing but many of the charges against it are just not true. Additionally, very few people are looking at the bigger picture of the total environmental and social impact of not only how a product is made, but where a product is made and by what type of company.
The negative criticism of bamboo began a few months ago with the post on the Organic Clothing blog about how bamboo fiber is processed. As that information has been edited and republished, much of what is now being said is simply not accurate. It reminds me of the game, 'Chinese Whispers' where each successive participant whispers to the next a phrase or sentence whispered to them by the preceding participant. Cumulative errors from 'mishearing' often result in what was heard by the last player differing greatly from what was said by the first.
First, the chemicals used in processing bamboo plants into fiber are not nearly as toxic as people are trying to make out. Sodium hydroxide, also know as caustic soda, is used in many applications such as food processing, soap making, and paper production and is an organic chemical compound. It is also used in wet processing of almost all organic cotton fabrics and is approved by the Global Organic Textile Standards.
The facility in China that produces all of the bamboo fiber in the world is SA8000 certified. For more on that certification go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SA8000
Additionally, all bamboo fiber that is produced in that facility is certified to the Oeko Tex 100 standard for the absence of residual harmful chemicals.
So, to say there are "no sustainable production credentials", or that "China rarely (if at all) uses systems to help control the production and disposal of those chemicals" is patently and demonstrably false.
The charge that there is clear cutting of natural forest to make way for the planting of bamboo cannot be backed up by any evidence that I have been able to find and that is the same for the issue of fertilizers. And, bamboo is well known to 'reduce' soil erosion, not increase it.
Also, China is not the only manufacturer of bamboo fiber fabric. Our company, Bamboosa, produces bamboo fiber yarn, fabric, and apparel in the U.S. from Chinese fiber. Other than the fiber, we are exclusively U.S. made. Which brings me to another point that I would like for people to consider. There is a lot of discussion about organic cotton being the better product without any consideration of where a product is made. I don't believe that an organic cotton product that was produced outside the U.S. has a smaller environmental footprint or a greater positive social impact than a bamboo fiber shirt made solely in the U.S. from Chinese fiber.
I would also like to point out that we should all know more about the products we buy and exactly where and how that product was made. Just because a shirt says "Made in the USA" doesn't mean the fiber was grown in the US or that the fabric was made in the US.
And because a shirt has "organic cotton" in the label doesn't mean it's 'eco friendly' or 'dark green'. There is more to the story than that.
We all have to make our own decisions about what products we buy and what companies we support and we should make those decisions with good, accurate information.
Thanks,
Mo
posted Feb 2, 2008 - 11:26 pm by nick
Mo: Sodium hydroxide is not organic....check it out.
posted Feb 8, 2008 - 4:58 am by Dave
Amy -- Many of your questions may be answered by Googling the appropriate key words. However, if you are looking for very technical information, please try "Journal of the International Hemp Association". There are some issues of that journal posted on-line. Overall, the news about hemp is very good, but one must guard against buying goods produced in an (unnecessarily) unsustainable manner. The Chinese are probably your best source, not only for price, but because production is highly decentralized and these farmers can't afford the price of agro-chemicals. Of course, the brutal occupation of Tibet by the Chinese is also something to consider when deciding about trade ethics. Other major centers of hemp production include Europe and Canada. Hope this helps!
posted Feb 27, 2008 - 2:09 pm by Shaikmeeran Mousthapha
Hii read this journal and very much facinated about this Bamboo fabric, i would like to know how this Bamboo is made in detail and the finishing processes takwn place to make it into the final fabric. it would be very very helpfull for me to do a project work regarding this Bamboo Fabric... thank you
regards
Shaikmeeran mousthapha
posted Mar 31, 2008 - 3:33 pm by Mo
Nick,Thanks for that. I was definitely off base with the reference to organic. It is certainly an inorganic chemical.
posted Apr 23, 2008 - 5:35 pm by Darbus
I come from the Philippines and at home we've used bamboo as food to coin banks and furniture. They are sturdy and the 'plant' itself does grow fast to be considered extinct. For those looking for alterative organic fiber try the pina (read as: pin-ya), pineapple hemp. Like your site and hope the information helped...
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