Ever think of wearing bamboo?

From construction to homewares to fabrics, bamboo is having its moment in the limelight. Given that some claims associated with bamboo have been disputed, such as its sustainability, UV protection, and antibacterial properties, is it really the miracle crop many are claiming it to be? Is bamboo fabric sustainable? Growing the bamboo It starts out looking good. Bamboo can be a very sustainable crop: a fast-growing grass, it requires no fertilizer and self-regenerates from its own roots, so it doesn't need to be replanted. For starters, although bamboo is fast-growing and requires no pesticides, that doesn't mean that it is being grown sustainably. The majority of bamboo is grown in China, and there is limited information regarding how intensively bamboo is being harvested, or what sort of land clearing might be underway in order to make way for the bamboo. Although bamboo doesn't need pesticides, there is no guarantee that they are not being used to maximise outputs. Creating the fabric might have some issues, but it still uses way less chemicals, and is more environmentally friendly than cotton. While this is almost certainly true for the cultivation phase, the same can't necessarily be said about the manufacturing process.

Image from Tasc Performance

Several ways to turn bamboo into a fabric.

The first process involves combing out the bamboo fibres and spinning these into thread. This results in a slightly coarse fabric that is usually called "Bamboo linen". Creating this "Linen" is labour intensive and expensive and the result isn't suitable for the soft, intimate products for which bamboo is most in demand.

The second and much more popular method is the process used to make the silky soft bamboo fabric you find in sheets, underwear, and more. This "Bamboo rayon" is produced through a highly intensive chemical process, similar to the process used to turn wood chips into rayon. The source of the cellulose can be cotton, wood, and yep, bamboo. Bamboo rayon is most commonly made through what is known as the viscose process, which involves dissolving cellulose material in a chemical solution to produce a pulpy viscous substance. The resulting bamboo viscose fabric is highly breathable, and much stretchier than cotton, making it perfect for garments that sit close to the skin like underwear and socks.

Image from Dharma Trading Co.

As a side note, sadly there is no conclusive evidence that many of the claimed qualities of bamboo, such as its antibacterial properties or UV resistance, are still present in the fibre after it has been put through such an intensive process. The lyocell process can also be used to create fabric from bamboo, and this fabric is branded Monocel®, so look out for this label on clothes, though very few brands are using it at this stage. So is bamboo fabric sustainable or not? Bamboo itself can be a highly sustainable crop, if grown under the right conditions. While most bamboo fabrics on the market are a form of rayon where the manufacturing process is intensive and involves harmful chemicals, recent years have seen an improvement in how these chemicals are managed, which is a step in the right direction.

References:

Waddell, E. (2021, June 24). A guide to bamboo viscose clothing. The Honest Consumer. Retrieved October 5, 2021, from https://www.thehonestconsumer.com/blog/bamboo-viscose-clothing-brands.

Hymann, Y. (2021, February 3). Material guide: Is bamboo fabric sustainable? Good On You. Retrieved October 5, 2021, from https://goodonyou.eco/bamboo-fabric-sustainable/.