Even though it is a relatively recent development in the fashion industry, clothing made from bamboo has been garnering quite a bit of attention recently due to its substantial benefits and attractive features. The fundamental difference between clothing made from bamboo and other types of clothing is the fact that it is environmentally friendly, and that is what most people think of when they hear about it. Clothing made from bamboo also has many other benefits.
Benefits for the Environment
Bamboo trees are noted for the way they contribute to cleaner air around the earth. They consume carbon dioxide just like any other plants, but due to the denseness of most bamboo forests, they return as much as 30% more oxygen to the atmosphere than trees do. In some cases, bamboo plants can sequester up to 12 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the air per hectare.
Bamboo plants help to reclaim land that has been destroyed by over-grazing and over-building due to the very fast pace at which they grow and their root structure, also helping to clean the soil of toxins.
As one of the fastest growing plants around the world, bamboo is a high-yield renewable resource. Even with the bamboo clothing industry in full swing, bamboo can be selectively harvested every year, and it can completely regenerate without needing to be replanted.
With synthetic fibres that make use of petroleum additives, biodegradability is very low or nonexistent. On the other end of the spectrum, bamboo fibres are completely biodegradable and can be safely disposed of by landfill or incineration.
When compared with other plants of similar size, bamboo requires a very low amount of water energy in order to grow it for fibre production. Even large plantations require very little maintenance, especially because the plant is hardy enough to survive in both drought conditions and floods.
Benefits for the Wearer
Bamboo fibre is suitable for use in producing a very wide variety of clothing items, including shirts, dresses, socks and slacks, although it is often mixed with about 30% cotton in order to give clothing more structure.
The exceptional softness of clothes made from bamboo has made them very desirable. They are softer than the softest cotton, and even though they have a drape that is similar to silk or satin they are much less expensive and more durable. When they are mixed with organic cotton, the fibres are strengthened, making the clothes have a more structured look.
For people with allergies, the organic and naturally smooth bamboo fibres are very good to wear, since they do not have the irritating feel that some other materials do. Apart from that, bamboo clothes have excellent thermal regulating activities, meaning that while they will help you stay cool in summer, they will help you stay warm in winter. Their use as active wear is mainly due to this feature, as well as their breathability and ability to absorb and evaporate moisture quickly.
