by Elena H.

Created on: May 05, 2008

Is Bamboo fabric environmentally friendly or not so friendly?

Benefits of Bamboo Fabric

Bamboo has been very trendy and popular for use in flooring and other household products. Bamboo has also been gaining popularity as an environmentally friendly clothing fabric. It is true that bamboo fabric has many traits that make it better than synthetic fabrics. Bamboo fabric is quite a bit cheaper than silk or cashmere, but it has the comfortable, luxurious feel and the same beautiful drape as those fabrics have. Bamboo fabric is very durable and easy to care for. It can be laundered. Bamboo is also biodegradable and the bamboo plant, which is a grass as opposed to a tree, is one of the world's most sustainable resources. Bamboo plantations are great for reducing greenhouse gases.

Environmental Issues When Bamboo Is Made Into Clothing

The problem is in the processing. There are two primary types of processing being used for converting bamboo into fabric.

Mechanical processing of bamboo into fabric is not used very much because it is very laborious and therefore would add greatly to the cost of the final product. Environmentally, mechanical processing would be the preferred method. Natural enzymes are used to convert the bamboo into a soft substance that can be combed out and made into yarn.

Chemical processing is still the most common method of converting bamboo into clothing fabric. The chemical process used to convert bamboo to fabric is an environmental disaster. The bamboo leaves and woody parts are cooked in solvents. The most common solvents are sodium hydroxide and carbon disulfide. Then they are bleached. Carbon disulfide is also used in processing rayon and workers who are exposed to it have been known to have side effects ranging from headaches to nerve damage and neural disorders. Sodium hydroxide, which is lye, can cause skin and eye irritations. Some experts state that because of the potential side effects to workers and the environment, this process is not environmentally friendly. Many of the bamboo clothing fabrics are manufactured in developing countries that do not have the same pollution control requirements as the United States. Since these chemicals are toxic, the result is often disastrous to the atmosphere and waterways.

Can Bamboo be processed into fabric in a more environmentally friendly way?

A chemical process that is now used to process wood cellulose into a fabric product called lyocell is thought to be very environmentally friendly. This process

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>