Bamboo fabric is a type of rayon often called “bamboo rayon” or “rayon made from bamboo”.
Bamboo is usually sold as an eco-friendly textile. This is partially true, as the bamboo plant is potentially one of the world’s most sustainable resources. It grows very quickly and easily, it doesn’t need pesticides or fertilizers, and it doesn’t need to be replanted after harvest because it grows new sprouts from the roots. However, to turn bamboo into fiber, bamboo is processed with strong chemical solvents that are potentially harmful to the health of manufacturing workers, the consumers wearing the garment, and the environment when chemicals are released in the air and the wastewater.
Bamboo does not belong to SANE Approved material unless the transformation process is controlled and certified according to SANE requirements on chemical use.
Copy partner: Sustain Your Style; Picture: Oleksandr Pidvalnyi
Other sources: Matthew Wong, The life Cycle of Bamboo Rayon and its harmful effects, 2018