Bamboo clothing? After industrial hemp, what will they come up with next, but bamboo organic clothing? Seriously? Just the thought of bamboo clothing makes you want to start scratching doesn't it? That long, hard stalk of bamboo can be made into textile items such as nightgowns, tee shirts and bed linens? Who would want to use bamboo?
I would, for one.
Bamboo is another great, environmentally friendly alternative to cotton. Even though the idea may scare some people, bamboo is actually quite soft and satiny feeling. It is the pulp of the stalk that is harvested from the bamboo and used to manufacture clothing items. That fine, fluffy material is 100% biodegradable and allergy reducing.
Yes, it's great for those of us with horrible allergies.
Bamboo is bleached using chlorine, then dyed. Since bamboo can be easily dyed as well, it does not take as much chemicals and water to complete the dyeing process, so bamboo clothing assists the environment in that instance too! Bamboo pulp is anti-microbial and anti-bacterial, which means that it is not going to develop that strange smell you have after several workouts in the same active wear. You know, that lingering odor that just will not wash away despite the ample amounts of laundry detergent you use. Its thermal registering properties will actually help regulate your body temperature and it has the added feature of protecting you from those harmful sunrays.
With bamboo being processed differently than most other organic textiles, the process is much more cost efficient and environmentally friendly. Bamboo pulp can be processed in closed-loop methods with safer chemical ingredients to make it environmentally kind.
Bamboo can also save you money in the laundry room. Since bamboo is best washed in cold water with a mild detergent, the electricity used to heat up water for laundry will be reduced significantly, many a savings each month on your electric bill.
Often bamboo is mixed with a small percentage of cotton to help it maintain its shape after washing. Even with the small addition of cotton to its pulp, bamboo has minimal shrinkage in its items and actually has a soft feel than most organic cotton fabrics. A naturally resilient product, bamboo clothing has a longer life than most cotton items, and with the natural anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties bamboo has, bamboo makes it an ideal candidate for exercise garments and work out wear.
Granted, bamboo clothing is a new addition to the fashion world; but as different civilizations and cultures become more open to environmentally friendly and eco-centric materials, bamboo will find a wider and denser audience in the fashion industry. The use of bamboo as a textile means that clothing will be less expensive, since the cost of manufacturing bamboo garments is considerably less than that of cotton, rayon and other fabrics. And with bamboo's short growing period, it makes a fantastic renewable resource.
So the next time you turn away from bamboo clothing because it's an odd idea, consider these few small things and give bamboo a try.
Thanks to Paul Fitzgerald for contributing this article to our Bamboo blog:
Blair LeMire is a writer, director, producer, and artist who first garnered the attention of the international press in 1998 when he performed his song Linda Angel at the vigil held for Linda McCartney at London's Trafalgar Square. The heartfelt tribute attracted the attention of news cameras, and his impromptu performance was elevised internationally.
Installing Bamboo Flooring
