Bamboo fabric (as the name suggests) is made from bamboo, a fast-growing plant which is stronger than steel and yet softer than cotton. It grows in diverse climates, can be harvested every few months, requires less water to grow, and produces oxygen to boot!
Bamboo fabric has many benefits including being eco-friendly and sustainable. This article will explore why bamboo fabric is eco friendly and what makes it a better alternative to other fabrics that are not as environmentally friendly.
What is bamboo fabric made of?
Bamboo fabric is made from the bamboo plant’s fiber, known as cellulose. The process begins when mature stalks are harvested every few years. The largest concentration of bamboo sits in China.
The next step involves treating the straw to separate the fibers. These fibers are then steam washed and pressed into thin sheets of material called viscose. Viscose is easily molded into fabrics for clothing, bedding, and other products. The resulting fiber from bamboo is not only versatile but also crisp and smooth.
How fast does it grow?
The bamboo grows rapidly but initially takes between 3 to 5 years to mature. During the growth period, the stalks need little water or attention during growth. Once cut down, the bamboo can easily regrow back, contrary to other types of trees that once cut down are no longer able to regenerate and therefore die.
Why does it make sense to use bamboo fabric?
Bamboo fabric is very versatile and can be used for many products. Because the bamboo plant does not require much water to grow, it is a better alternative than cotton which takes a major percentage of all pesticides sold in America, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s pesticide data report.
Lastly, bamboo fabric has antibacterial properties that prevent bacteria from growing on fabrics with raw viscose or non-treated cellulosic fibers. This means bamboo fabric is naturally antibacterial!
Why is bamboo fabric eco friendly?
For many years, cotton was used primarily to make clothing and other fabric products. While it is not a bad choice environmentally speaking, bamboo has just as much versatility and more benefits that far outweigh the original plant. Using bamboo fabric contributes to sustainability by offering an eco-friendly alternative that can be grown in most climates with very little water needed to grow it.
It also provides antibacterial properties with its naturally occurring cellulosic fibers found in viscose. Because the bamboo plant regenerates rather than dies once harvested, it makes sense for companies to switch from using less sustainable fabrics like cotton which requires pesticides.
Fast-growing plants such as bamboo have also been shown to dramatically remove air pollutants including nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone, and carbon monoxide from being released into the atmosphere. Replacing the use of cotton could have a huge impact on helping the environment as well as raising awareness about how much more sustainable products derived from bamboo are.
Finally, bamboo fabric is versatile and can be used in many different products such as clothing, bedding, industrial materials like car interiors, and more. Using bamboo fabric is a great way to contribute to sustainability and reduce waste.
Drawbacks of using other fabrics like cotton or polyester
Cotton has a high pesticide content and needs a lot of water to grow. Because the bamboo plant is a fast-growing fiber, it can be harvested more times than cotton which takes a much longer time before being ready again for harvest.
Adding pesticides to the environment as well as taking up land where other plants could be grown contribute to environmental degradation. Finally, synthetic materials extracted such as oil not only have an immediate negative impact on the environment, but the material derived from it a.k.a polyester, used in making textiles like towels and sheets, will take hundreds if not thousands of years before decomposing back into their natural state.
Conclusion
Bamboo fabric is a great substitute for cotton or polyester because it can be grown in most climates with very little water needed to grow. Bamboo fabric has antibacterial properties that keep bacteria from growing on raw viscose or non-treated cellulosic fibers. If you’re looking to become sustainable at home, then switching to bamboo fabric-based items such as bamboo sheets is a great, economical way to get started. If you want to know more, check out the article below for the best bamboo sheets available online.