Is Bamboo All That?
May 26th, 2008 | By Style Snob | Category: Conscious Fashion
Green is a trend that is here to stay, but let’s be conscious about what we buy. Just because a shirt was made free of chemicals does not mean it’s needed, so don’t add more trash to the world by purchasing more items you won’t wear. The same goes to new trends in eco-friendly clothing such as bamboo.
Bamboo clothing has been heralded as the greatest textile to utilize for the future of clothes. According to sites such as Earth Easy, it grows abundantly with little water, and the bamboo fibers are wrinkle-free, lightweight, soft as cashmere, and are machine washable. Sounds like a great alternative to cotton right? Hmm, perhaps not.
The Green Guide states the the use of harsh chemicals and tons of energy to convert stiff bamboo into usable softer fibers end up making bamboo less green than we first believed. The chemicals can pose a health threat to the factory workers as well as the environment. Since there is such a high demand now, the longer and more expensive processes to convert bamboo into something wearable have been replaced with chemicals that quicken the process. Also, most of the bamboo being processed is performed in China, where there is little information and regulation on what is going on in the factories. Alternatives are being considered, but haven’t resulted in the soft textiles that we would want to wear.
But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t buy bamboo clothes. Bamboo has a lighter environmental impact than pesticide-laden cotton, nylon and polyester synthetics. Be sure to research and look for certification from an independent and reliable certification company such as Oeko-Tex, Soil Association, SKAL, KRAV or similar organic or sustainable certification body. We’ve written about eco-friendly clothing and a few other sites include Pamplemosses and Lara Miller. There is also Loyale Clothing by Jenny Hwa. All have designs for men, women and infants that incorporate bamboo and other organic textiles into their fashions.
Remember, shop consciously.
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