In this day and age of environmental awareness, it really serves businesses to keep up with trends and common attitudes. Things are slowly changing in the textile industry, for example. There is pressure to move away from textiles that require a lot of energy to produce and are simply bad for the environment. This is why hemp has been seeing a huge surge in popularity in clothing manufacturing. It is durable and tough without being harsh on the skin. Likewise, bamboo, believe it or not, has seen an uptick in the clothing and fashion industry as a new material for manufacturing.
The Old Becomes New Again
Though it may raise some eyebrows, the use of bamboo in clothing and other items has been around for many centuries in Eastern cultures like China. It makes sense because bamboo grows there in abundance, grows very quickly, and is easily accessible. By contrast, textiles like cotton require a lot more effort to grow and are considered resource intensive. This is not great for the environment, as people look to cut emissions, water use and energy use in primary and secondary industries.
Wear Some Bamboo
Bamboo clothing is starting to gain traction with some companies and customers. The unique characteristics that define bamboo as a textile make it a great choice for many types of clothing for the following reasons:
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- Friendly to the environment: Even when you’re done with your clothing, in the event that you simply toss it out, it is actually a biodegradable material.
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- Feel and comfort: If you think of bamboo as a rough and hardy plant material and think that it might chafe your skin, you’d be mistaken. When processed, bamboo is actually very soft and has a silky feel. No one is walking around wearing bamboo stems!
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- Breathable and light: Like cotton, processed bamboo is breathable. This means that it doesn’t feel stifling and allows air to get to your skin. Like insulation, it will keep the wearer warm in winter and cool in the summer. Unlike cotton, it is more environmentally friendly! Bamboo will wick moisture and sweat away from the skin, making it superior to synthetic materials. This is great news for cyclists and those who sweat a lot.
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- Durability: Despite the softness of bamboo, it has a unique strength that makes it tough and durable under most conditions. It is similar to hemp in terms of durability, making it an ideal long term clothing material.
- Hypoallergenic: Many people are allergic or sensitive to materials like wool. Bamboo is considered a hypoallergenic material, which means that it’s great for those with sensitive skin or who have allergies to other materials.
The unique properties of bamboo make it an ideal choice for textiles and clothing. In many ways it is superior to other materials, and because it grows rapidly under the right conditions, it can be harvested relatively quickly compared to other textiles. This means less of an impact on the environment.
