Question about bamboo?

[FionaJill]

Not sure if there is a better spot for this post....

Today I encounted one of those "know it all" types of people. We were discusing MCN & the different materials used. She questioned Bamboo, saying that a "natural" product can't be that soft & claims that there is no information available that states what exactly is used it the processing of Bamboo to make fabric from it. She said its very possible there are harmful chemicals used that we then place against our babys skin.

So I was hoping someone could point me in the right direction to information that will shut her up lol.

[nangari]

Oh good luck in your search! I would be interested too ...

[bamboogal]

The specific way in which bamboo fabric is produced is mostly kept secret however here is the basics:

Bamboo fiber fabric production flow:
bamboo - thick pulp - fine pulp - bamboo fiber - bamboo yarn - fabric.

From what we have been able to find in most bamboo fibre production there is bleaching in the process to get the fibre to a more useable state.

As far as the harmful chemicals in the fabric, I'm not sure to what extent there would be any. I'm sure the vast majority of bleaching agents would be removed as in when people use bleach in the home and then wash their clothing. This is one of the reasons why bamboo cannot yet be certified organic, despite what many websites say.

It is still a much more sustainable fabric than cotton due to not needing chemicals to grow or anywhere near as much water and better crop in terms of long term sustainable production. hemp is probably the most sustainable but it has its negatives in terms of holding the wee smell and being a coarser fabric(unless like bamboo some form of bleaching is used).

hth

[alchemy]

This has come up quite a number of times in co-ops I've been involved in...I've added some links I've read. I'm afraid it doesn't help with your know-it-all friend cause she's right in some respects particularly regarding the chemicals. But there is still lots of good stuff about bamboo fabric compared to the alternatives.

Organic_Clothing: Bamboo: Facts behind the Fiber
Bamboo clothes, eco fashion - The Green Guide - read particularly the last paragraph..
Victoria Everman :: Sustainable, Creative, Enlightened Living :: San Francisco » Blog Archive » How Green Is Bamboo Fabric?
The last link says that Bamboo is only grown in China, and I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure Meg & Tristan (Bamboo Fabric Store) source alot of their bamboo from Tibet...I don't know if that makes a difference to the end result and it's processing, but it was important to them to bi-pass China as a major source for their fabrics.

[bamboogal]

will have to read some of those links.

I think all the bamboo yarn is from China. Our Nepalese fabrics use yarn from China. Unfortunately no way around that, but we've sourced fabric producers from other countries.

[FionaJill]

Thank you, its a start. She was a bit strange in the way she said "the chinesse" wont say what they use, so it could be anything. The way she said "the chinesse" didn't sit well with me. It was said with that tone of voice implying "those people" as if they had somethign wrong with them KWIM?

She was also saying that no true "organic" material is going to be as soft as the materials being used & labelled "organic".

I did say to her that she has a point & it will be interesting to find out if there is any information about it. So its good to see that someone other then this person can somewhat back up what she is saying about no one actually know for sure.

So why is it important to bi pass china?

Ok, So reading the first link.... How do you tell if the material we commonly use for MCN (Bamboo Fleece) is made manually or chemically?

[alchemy]

Tibet/Nepal - knew it was a buddhist country
I think for Meg's family it was a moral issue (regarding Tibet) to bi pass China. I hope she doesn't mind me saying that - I just didn't want you thinking it was an issue of racism.

[bamboogal]

So why is it important to bi pass china?

We do it for ethical reasons. We try to get it not 'made in china' if we can.

boycott made in china : why boycott? : q&a

[FionaJill]

oh ok, der lol

[bamboogal]

thanks Kirsten. Its a human rights issue, for those in China and in Tibet.