The question if a fabric is eco-friendly is important and it is essential to verify that it complies with the different aspects of this qualification. The following states these fundamental criterions and confirms that bamboo fabric fulfills all of them.
ECO-FRIENDLY
Bamboo Is Environmentally Kind And Sustainable.
As a natural cellulose fiber, bamboo is 100% biodegradable and does not cause any pollution to the environment. Due to its amazing growth properties (it can grow 3+ feet in one day) and short harvesting cycle (2 to 3 years), the growth and use of bamboo do not require deforestation (a process needed for wood pulp fiber materials).
Transitioning to a more sustainable bio-based economy includes a shift towards renewable resources. Many scientists are looking towards a measurement component that will enable us to compare textiles on an even plane using the concept of "eco-efficiency".
The concept of eco-efficiency was first coined in 1992 by the Business Council for Sustainable Development (BCSD) in its landmark report Changing Course. The WBCSD has identified seven success factors for eco-efficiency:
* Reduce the material intensity of goods and services
* Reduce the energy intensity of goods and services
* Reduce toxic dispersion
* Enhance material recyclability
* Maximize sustainable use of renewable resources
* Increase the service intensity of goods and services
RENEWABILITY:
Eco-textiles like bamboo, flax, cotton, jute, sisal, kenaf and bamboo, in use since over 6000 years BC, are renewable, biodegradable and sustainable. Hardy crops, natural fibers can grow in different climatic zones and offer environmental benefits such as erosion prevention and the natural recycling of carbon dioxide into oxygen. All parts of the plants, including the woody core, leaf, cane and straw are utilized to create materials and fabrics for a modem eco-friendly textile future.
In fact, bamboo grows to its maximum height in approximately 3 months and matures in 3-5 years for harvest with little or no environmental impact, making it a remarkable and sustainable resource when compared to a tree forest that takes over 60 years to recover from deforestation.
In contrast to synthetic materials, natural fibers biodegrade with the help of micro-organism compo sting and sunshine. In this way the fixed C02 in the fiber crop is released back into the environment. The potential for recycling and reusing natural fibers is just beginning to be tapped. Biodegrading textiles prolong the real life time of a resource. The possibilities of energy recovery after the lifetime use of a textile product will reduce the net energy requirements and will influence the balance of the energy requirement in the production phase.
The environmental impact for Eco-textiles production is also influenced at the growing phase. The amount of energy necessary for cultivating and harvesting is a factor of both the hardiness of the crop and the degree of mechanization used in the crop production. In developing countries manual labor to work the fields and harvest the crop is not uncommon.
Land quality and land use
Bamboo's growth characteristics enable it to spread rapidly across large areas. Because of its growth characteristics and ability to spread, bamboo is known to improve soil quality in degraded and eroded areas of land.
Use of pesticides and fertilizer
Bamboo's natural growth habits allow it to reproduce in abundance without the use of fertilizers and without the need for pesticides.
It is rarely attacked by pests or infected by pathogen. Scientists discovered that bamboo contains a property commonly called "bamboo Kun." This substance causes its natural resistance to bacteria. It is molecularly bonded into the cellulose fibers during fabric processing.
Some fiber crops, and especially cotton, require substantial irrigation and are often cultivated with the use of pesticides to enable good yields; hardier crops such as hemp and bamboo have natural agents which prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.
Just Any Bamboo?
Species used for bamboo fiber is Phyllostachys Heterocycla Pubescent commonly known as Moso bamboo.
This is the largest of temperate zone bamboo species and is the most economically important bamboo species in
When this much care has been taken to create a fiber that is truly natural, organic and sustainable, the manufacturing process must also be:
* environmentally responsible
* in accordance with ISO environmental standards
* and certified by an official international certification service such as OEKO-TEX 100
Bamboo fabric is made from organically grown bamboo and harvested close to vertically integrated manufacturers to curb transportation costs between fabrication facilities.
The bamboo is spun, and then dyed using low impact systems.
All conscious environmental choices extend to many other aspects along the distribution chain such as opting for shipping in preference to air transport or the use chlorine-free paper for mailings, recycled materials for labeling and packaging, etc....
Therefore, it is in total confidence that you can select clothing made of bamboo fabric.
Bamboo: Choosing green fulfillment for healthy living everyday!
Please review other articles for additional important information about bamboo fabric.
Contact: we.bamboo@yahoo.com
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