You’ve heard the hype and know we’re big fans of bamboo for just about everything. Bamboo can be made into a variety of materials and can replace everything from paper to steel. But is bamboo really sustainable?
The short answer is yes, if the materials are sourced responsibly and produced with the full lifecycle of the product in mind. Bamboo materials have various levels of sustainability so it’s important to know how bamboo is processed for each industry.
Bamboo Fabrics
Bamboo is an ideal choice for fabric because it’s soft, absorbent & antimicrobial. Bamboo fibers are naturally smooth and absorb 70% more moisture than cotton without giving you that not-so-fresh scent. Having moisture pulled away from the skin makes it a great option for socks, underwear, and any kind of apparel you don’t want to feel sweaty in.
Fabrics made from bamboo are said to be softer than cotton and very breathable which is why bamboo sheets and blankets are becoming so popular.
I especially love a bamboo alternative to single-use items like cotton rounds or diapers. These alternatives can be reused or are biodegradable and have less impact on the environment during production.
How is Bamboo Fabric Made?
It’s strange to think a hard stalk of bamboo can be turned into some of the softest and most absorbent material around.
Bamboo stalks are cut and processed either mechanically or chemically to separate the cellulose from the fiber. The cellulose is turned into yarn and woven into fabric that can be used for anything from apparel to bedding!
The more sustainable option is mechanically-processed bamboo linen (or bast fiber) which is made using a process called mercerization. The plant is crushed up and the natural enzymes are used to create the thread. Mercerization uses fewer chemicals but creates a rougher fabric. The process is also more labor intensive making it more expensive than other bamboo fabrics.
Bamboo rayon is a widely used bamboo fabric because it’s much softer and less expensive than bamboo linen. It’s made using a chemical process where plant fibers are dissolved into chemical mixtures and filtered until they congeal. The resulting material can be woven into fabric.
Is Bamboo Fabric a Sustainable Solution?
Compared to cotton, bamboo is a much more sustainable crop. It uses ⅓ less water to grow and doesn’t need fertilizers or pesticides. Bamboo has a natural pesticide called bamboo kun to protect itself from pests and fungi.
Cotton, however, needs a significant amount of pesticides to fight off insects. To put it in perspective, cotton only grows on 2.5% of the world’s farmland, but uses 16% of all pesticides. Organic cotton is a better alternative to traditional cotton but is currently only 0.1 percent of all content produced in the world.
Bamboo is also preferred over synthetic fabrics for the environment. It’s best when bamboo lyocell or viscose is made from a closed-loop system where chemicals and water are recycled and never released into the environment. Our friends at Cozy Earth use a closed-loop system to make incredibly soft bamboo products that are eco-friendly.
Because of the processing that bamboo fabric has to go through to become rayon, the most sustainable option is to use bamboo linen when possible.
Bamboo Wood
You may be most familiar with bamboo used as an alternative to wood. It’s considered an alternative because bamboo is actually a grass. So just like when you mow your lawn and the grass grows back, you can harvest bamboo and it will replenish itself.
The construction industry has been relying on bamboo for centuries because of its strength and low weight. Bamboo has greater tensile strength than steel and is much less expensive to produce.
Bamboo also withstands compression better than concrete. It can support 52,000 pounds of pressure per square inch making us wonder how strong a panda's teeth really are…
Many countries prefer bamboo because the stalks are fire- and earthquake-resistant. In addition to their incredible strength, the stalks bend in wind, unlike hardwood that’s more likely to break. Bamboo can also withstand temperatures up to 4,000 degrees C (7,232 F).
How is Bamboo Used for Construction?
Since bamboo grows in tall stalks, bamboo strips are easy to create. The height of the stalk grows up to