View Profile
View Forum Posts
Private Message
View Blog Entries
Visit Homepage
View Articles
Eco-friendly bamboo velour fabric
Organic cotton used to be the fibre of choice for hippies. Now, it's so popular that Target and Just Jeans are using it in t-shirts and denim. But if you want a fibre from a renewable crop, made using natural processes, and completely biodegradable when it reaches the end of its useful life, there's a lot more to choose from.
If you've got children, you've probably already seen bamboo fabrics for clothing and nappies. Like cotton, bamboo is a cellulose fibre that takes dyes easily. Bamboo grows quickly, without the need for chemicals or artificial irrigation. Underground shoots mean that the crop can regenerate without having to plough the field. Bamboo is sourced from farm plantations, conserving protected areas. And because it's grown in China, it doesn't have to travel around the planet to get to the fabric mill and then on to the garment factory.
One of the reasons bamboo is so popular for nappies and baby clothing is that it is many times more absorbent than cotton. Of course, this also means it takes longer to dry. But unlike cotton, it stays soft instead of going all stiff and crunchy. It's also naturally anti-bacterial. Naturally occurring bamboo kun helps to stop bacteria growing on bamboo fabrics, even after many washes. The China Industrial Testing Centre incubated Staphylococcus aureous bacteria on 100% bamboo fabric. After 24 hours, a live bacteria count showed that 99.8% of the bacteria had been killed. Black Diamond or Black Gold, a carbon fibre made from bamboo, also has natural UV resistance and anti-odour properties.
Before bamboo rocked the modern cloth nappy world, hemp was the fibre of choice. Also more absorbent than cotton, hemp crops don't have the huge water and pesticide requirements of cotton crops. Hemp also grows well in Asian countries, close to most of the world's fabric mills and garment factories.
Soysilk is one of my favourites, and it's vegan-friendly. Yes, it's a fibre made from tofu! Actually, it's made from the extruded waste from tofu production. No petrochemicals in the process, and it's a 100% renewable resource. With the easy-care benefits of cotton, and the lustre and drape of silk, soysilk is perfect for outerwear. But I've also used soysilk yarn to make hand-knit nappy liners for my little boy's excema nappy rash. Soysilk is just as absorbent as cotton, but better at moisture transmission. This means that wetness wicks through the soysilk more easily than with cotton – great for summer or sports clothing.
For those less adventurous, or when a cool-weather fibre is needed, organic merino wool is easy to find in New Zealand. Look for a fibre certified by Bio-Grow New Zealand so you know it's certified organic. This means the sheep have not been treated with chemicals or anti-biotics, and the grass they've eaten hasn't been sprayed with herbicides. There's also no mulesing on organic sheep farms, and no genetic modification of animals or their feed. Look for wool/possum blends for super warmth, and help protect New Zealand from an introduced species that is destroying the habitat for native species.
There are biodegradable fibres available from all sorts of renewable resources:
- Corn – but beware genetically modified corn crops that may be included in the fabric;
- Chitin – made from crabs and shellfish, chitin is naturally anti-odour and has natural wound healing properties;
- Milk – a fibre made from milk can be blended with cotton or wool for a softer feel;
- Seaweed – when blended with other cellulose fibres like cotton, seaweed gives the fabric anti-inflammatory properties and promotes blood flow in the wearer's skin.
Menu
