Bamboo-zled. Understanding a new generation of textile.
September 19th, 2009 by Kyja
Let talk bamboo textiles.
I want to clear the air about all people are saying about this wonderful new innovation.
Lets first talk about the process. How does bamboo become a fabric?
Step 1.
pith
Extract bamboo leaves and soft inner pith from the hard bamboo shell and mechanically crush.
Step 2.
Soak the crushed bamboo bits in sodium hydroxide*. This will transform the bamboo into a cellulose. (this is a process used is almost all rayon/viscose production)
* A common misconception is that sodium hydroxide is a harmful chemical. If used in a responsible manner sodium hydroxide, or lye, has absolutely no effect on the environment and health of workers. Lye is used in the production of textiles, paper, soap, and even drinking water!
Step 3.
spinneret
The bamboo is them forced through a spinneret (or sieve) into an acid bath that hardens the solution into bamboo fibre threads and neutralizes the caustic soda.
Step 4.
The fibre threads are then spun into bamboo yarn and rolled on spools.
This 4 step process is not the only bamboo textile manufacturing method out there, it just the most common. The textile produced is not called bamboo fabric but rather rayon from bamboo. (This is an important stipulation. Rayon is neither a natural nor synthetic fiber.)
Now we ask… Why? Why use bamboo? There are so many reason, it’s silly!
-No pesticides or fertilizers.(Cotton takes up 10% of the agricultural land mass but uses 25% of the worlds pesticides.)
-Bamboo is softer than cotton, really.
-Bamboo is a grass and therefore regenerative. ( no tilling and replanting. Plant it once, done forever) It also grows very densely, making the yield per acre much better than cotton. (on average bamboo yields 60 tons/acre while cotton is only 2 tons/ acre)
-Bamboo does not require irrigation. Bamboo grows rapidly in all types of weather conditions. (1 lbs of cotton requires over 2,500 gallons of water to develop and grow. Some estimates indicate that cotton is the largest user of water among all agricultural commodities.)
-Bamboo absorbs 35% more carbon dioxide than equivalent stands of trees. (HOORAY!)
-Most fabric is made of Moso bamboo which can grow up to one meter in a day!!
Truth be told, bamboo can be used for food, fiber, and shelter, and due to its ease of growth and extraordinary growth rate it is cheap, sustainable and efficient.
At Phlox we are trying to get people excited about bamboo (although it seems most people already are.) This fall/ winter season we are offering great accessories made of bamboo.
Bamboo Scarves from Echo - $58 (in dk. teal, berry, brown, ivory, and black) Bamboo Knit tights by Kensie - $15 (Black and heather gray.)
Josette Kraska wrote on 04/27/10 at 9:49 am :
Just wanted to give you a shout from the valley of the sun, great information. Much appreciated.
Suk Rottner wrote on 04/27/10 at 9:49 pm :
great stuff, cheers man
gry planszowe wrote on 05/2/10 at 3:55 am :
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