Thursday, November 5, 2009

More Bamboo Organic Materials

Before I talked about the aspects of bamboo. Now, I want to give you some more information about Bamboo and other products made with bamboo. Although bamboo has some wonderful aspects, there are organic options other than 100% bamboo. Bamboo can be combined with other fibers to create blends. Just as there are polyester and cotton blends, there are also bamboo blends available.

Apparel can be made of a combination of bamboo and one or more of the following: polyester, organic cotton, soy and Spandex. These are also called hybrid products. The great thing about these styles are they are often offered at a lower price point with eco-friendly aspect.

The shirt to the right is a tee shirt that is 57% bamboo/ lyocell/38% cotton/5% spandex ladies’ long sleeve jersey t-shirt. StretchFlex™ technology provides comfort and freedom of movement. Natural inherent properties wick moisture and are naturally anti-bacterial, hypoallergenic and breathable

Some items are 85% bamboo/15% soy which is extremely good for sensitive skin. It refreshes the amino acids on the skin. Loungeware is extremely popular in eco-friendly products. One of these is made of Micro Terry. Micro Terry is a blend of bamboo, polyester, cotton and Spandex, which has the same soft feel and moisture-wicking aspects

Some of the down sides of Bamboo products:
-Everyday care is more difficult
-Some do not like how stretchy the material can be. Stretchiness is determined by the amount of Spandex in the fabric
-It peels easily
-It breaks down sooner than other fabric combinations
-It takes longer to dry
-Material breaks down quicker
-Bamboo also takes longer to dry than other apparel
-Can have greater shrinkage than other fabrics
-Not good for sport jerseys

Recommended Laundering for Bamboo materials:
Use a gentle washing machine cycle with cold or lukewarm water. Line dry instead of putting it in the dryer.

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posted by KKreations at 10:00 AM 0 Comments

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Bamboo Clothing

Recently I have had more requests for organic or bamboo items. Since I have not had many requests for organic, I started to do some research. Most have at least heard of bamboo items and when asked will tell you that they are an eco-friendly fabric. This is true but what I learned is that the manufacturing process is not.

Bamboo is a plant or a grass instead of a tree. It is eco-friendly because it grows rapidly and does not need the help of chemicals. In fact, it reaches maturity quickly and does not require to replanting because it continuously resprouts. In about four years it reaches maturity and is ready to be harvested. There is no need for pesticides or fertilizers.

Another great thing about bamboo is that it helps the air. It extracts carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and releases 25% more oxygen than other crops or forests. It can grow from 24 inches to 26 inches in a single day. It doesn't require all the pesticides that cotton does nor does it require very much water.

The problem with bamboo is in the production. In order to make the fibers of the bamboo into something that can be used in clothing then they have to use a lot of chemicals. There is dyeing and the finishing of the bamboo that has the largest impact on the environment. It is suggested that the water be treated and recycling the chemicals to make the bamboo product eco friendly but this rarely happens. In fact, some say it never happens. There is a company that uses nano-particles of bamboo charcoal that doesn’t use dyes or bleaches during the process.

So why Bamboo?

Well, first of all it is very natural. It naturally wicks moisture away from your body, helps with perspiration, wrinkle resistant and is softer than cotton. I personally think it feels like silk. Bamboo has natural antimicrobial and antifungal properties and is 100% biodegradable. What does this mean? Well basically you won’t smell when you sweat.

Are you looking for something a little bit different and new? Are you a ‘green’ company and are looking for new apparel. Bamboo might be for you. Contact me if you would like to see a sample!

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posted by KKreations at 10:29 AM 0 Comments