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To Bamboo Or Not To Bamboo

Mar 13, 2008 Author: Jenn Breckenridge | Filed under: Eco at Large

Labeled “the new silk” by some for its incredibly soft texture, bamboo fabric is the center of a great debate over whether the fabric is truly eco-friendly or not. Though it is lauded by many for growing without pesticides at an average rate of 12 inches a day, eco fashion fans are concerned by the harsh chemicals it takes to break down this hardy miracle plant. As more stunning bamboo designs hit the runways, Greenloop thought it was high time to get some answers to this controversy and what we ended up with was a lot more questions.

Industry insider Bruce Dear, owner of Pure Bamboo, was featured recently on White Apricot explaining how his particular company deals with this process.

Some companies, such as ours, produce bamboo fiber via what’s called an advanced “closed loop” solvent spinning process, which has minimal impact on the environment and an economical use of energy and water. The solvent is continually recycled during the production process. So, production plant emissions into the air from smokestacks and from waste water are significantly lower in comparison to many other man-made fiber operations. The solvent to digest the bamboo pulp can be toxic, but utilizing the closed loop process, this solvent is carefully reused and not thrown into local water systems. It’s also important to note that products made from bamboo can be recycled, incinerated or digested in sewage. The fiber will usually degrade completely in just eight days in waste treatment plants.

Thorough investigations by the folks at the Organic Clothing blog yielded an opposing viewpoint…

Bamboo clothing marketers have found a variety of ways to put the most eco-friendly and sustainable face on the manufacturing of bamboo fabric. The dominant manufacturing process of hydrolysis alkalization and multi-phase bleaching is generally referred to as a rather benign process utilizing caustic soda and bleach. The chemicals used are known to create a variety of health problems and neural disorders which can be hazardous to the health of fiber manufacturing workers. If the manufacturing facility lacks adequate pollution control systems – all too common in developing countries where regulations and enforcement are nearly non-existent – then these toxic chemicals can escape into the atmosphere through air vents and smokestacks and into waterways through inadequately treated waste water disposal systems.

Eco news reporter Victoria Everman also expressed concerns about the fabric at GreenLivingOnline…

Seeing bamboo as a “greener” substitute for silk, many designers are clamoring to use it in their collection, including couture and everyday brands. This high demand has forced Chinese manufacturers to begin clearing out natural forests in order to plant more fast-growing bamboo. On top of this, many cultivators are starting to use fertilizers that wouldn’t meet U.S. organic standards in order to increase the yield of their plantations. Additional weeding and tilling of the land in turn leads to increased soil erosion in these areas. Last but not least, China is currently the only manufacturer of bamboo fabric, making it impossible to look for an alternative, local source for this textile. While bamboo can be easily grown in many areas, there are no factories in North America that have the machines to chemically manufacture bamboo fibres.

With all these concerns, there are still so many benefits to consider. Bamboo fabric is completely biodegradable and grown without pesticides. The plants absorb carbon dioxide at a five times the rate of trees, and the extensive root systems prevent soil erosion while retaining water in the watershed. The potential for this fabric is undeniable, though the jury is still out on the current modes of manufacturing. Let’s keep this conversation going in the fashion community with our favorite eco retailers and bamboo clothing producers. The ultimate solution to the bamboo conundrum is within our reach. Best said in the words of famous Chinese philosopher Lao-Tzu…

People in their handlings of affairs often fail when they are about to succeed. If one remains as careful at the end as he was at the beginning, there will be no failure.

We’d love to have an open discussion on In The Loop about bamboo fabric. Please share any insights you may have on the bamboo fabric industry in the comments section below.

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7 Responses for "To Bamboo Or Not To Bamboo"

Victoria Everman March 13th, 2008 at 1:17 pm 1

Thanks for mentioning my article about bamboo! Whether or not the fabric is truly sustainable (say, as, organic cotton), it is still a lot better than a number of synthetic fabrics on the market.
Cristina March 14th, 2008 at 6:27 am 2

I am so happy to see some coverage on this topic. I recently read Patagonia’s founder talking about why he doesn’t use bamboo in their products exactly for the reason that although bamboo can be grown organically and sustainably the manufacturing is still very toxic. I hope to hear more in the future on bamboo and the start to finish processing of newer eco textiles.
Ahmad Mahdavi March 17th, 2008 at 10:14 am 3

No pesticide regulations in developing countries:
How pesticides are handled in developing countries:
Pesticides have a dilemma nature and because of this nature to use them safely there must be done lots of research and there should exist lots of laws and regulations and enforcement, now let say that this is followed correctly in developed countries where the industry exists but the story and scenario is quiet different in developing countries. In most of these developing countries there are no research/ regulations or if there is it is not followed / enforced absolutely and this is the problem and because it deals with the life of people and health of the environment it is a real big problem. When it comes to spraying technology and worker protection it is never practiced by ordinary farmers in these countries. These are my personal experiences/ observations during more than 35 years being involved in pesticide science work. Living more than 15 years in Mazandaran, Golastan and Gillan the three beautiful Northern Provinces of Iran by the Caspian Sea I observed so many cases of pesticide intoxication. This is because people do their spraying without any protective clothing, most of times with bare foot and body because of hot weather and with any type of spraying equipment that they can find and they use lots of pesticides in their rice paddies, cotton fields and citrus orchards etc.
So as a result where there is no scientific research and laws and regulations as in developing countries then most use of pesticides should stop because no rules are followed.

With best regards,
Ahmad Mahdavi,
PhD, pesticide environmental toxicologist,
Guelph, Canada.
Aysia Wright April 10th, 2008 at 10:22 am 4

New article from Conscious Choice Seattle - basically, despite the chemicals used in processing, its still a greener option than conventional cotton or most synthetics. Read here:

Bamboo clothes have gone fashion-forward. Gone are those linen-like muumuus; now we have soft bamboo T-shirts, plush bamboo robes and silky bamboo socks. Many environmentalists praise bamboo because it’s a fast-growing plant that shoots up and thrives without requiring any chemicals or pesticides, making it a sustainable, regenerating resource. And to the joy of eco-fashionistas who can’t afford Loomstate’s $55 organic cotton T-shirts, many bamboo items are very affordably priced.

So what’s the eco-conundrum? The problem is in the processing. Most bamboo clothes are made using a process that requires strong chemical solvents, such as sodium hydroxide and carbon disulfide. Both of those chemicals are linked to health problems for the workers making the stuff, as well as the wearer who’s unknowingly absorbing the lingering toxins. Plus, the reason bamboo clothes are often so cheap is that most are made in China — which brings up all manner of fair labor and workers’ rights concerns.

Still, bamboo clothes are an eco step up from most conventional clothes, which too are often chemically processed and made with pesticide-intensive crops or synthetic non-renewable materials to boot. And unlike pesticide residue, which can remain in your conventional cotton clothes for years, the chemicals used in bamboo processing aren’t permanently embedded in the clothes. In fact, many bamboo products carry the Oeko Tex Standard 100 certification, which shows that the end product is chemical-free — and safe for you to wear.

To make sure your favorite bamboo T-shirt’s as green as possible, do your best to check up on the environmental and labor practices of the company you’re buying from. The very best companies are members of the Fair Trade Federation or have Co-op America’s Business Seal of Approval.
Criterion C, Individual Plan | Christy R.'s blog May 1st, 2008 at 12:11 am 5

[...] iiBreckenridge , Jenn. “To Bamboo Or Not To Bamboo.” In The Loop; eco fashion news and reviews brought to you by Greeloop. 13 Mar 2008. Greenloop. 26 Apr 2008 <http://thegreenloopblog.com/2008/03/to-bamboo-or-not-to-bamboo/>. [...]
Criterion D: FINISHED! | Christy R.'s blog May 1st, 2008 at 7:51 am 6

[...] Loop; eco fashion news and reviews brought to you by Greeloop. 13 Mar 2008. Greenloop. 26 Apr 2008 http://thegreenloopblog.com/2008/03/to-bamboo-or-not-to-bamboo/. [...]
Just Below The (eco) Skin’s Surface - In The Loop June 24th, 2008 at 9:49 am 7

[...] Skinner has really gone the extra mile when it comes to crafting her garments responsibly. Unlike many designers using bamboo fabric these days, Skinner imports the raw bamboo fiber from China and has it spun it locally in LA so that she can oversee all the aspects of manufacturing this sometimes controversial fabric. [...]

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