So what's the big deal with Bamboo?
Everyone knows it's good for the earth, our environment and the air we breath, but if THAT'S not enough to jump on the bamboo bandwagon, here are some more facts about bamboo that you might not have known;
* Bamboo is a woody perennial evergreen plant that is actually part of the grass family. Although they can grow to towering heights, bamboo is not actually considered a tree.
* Bamboo along with being one of the tallest grasses in the world, is also the fastest growing plant in the world, capable of growing 3 to 4 feet per day!
* Bamboo utilizes carbon dioxide at a rate astronomically higher than other trees, and does it year round because it is an evergreen.
* Bamboo has the fastest reforestation potential of any plant, making a new canopy in burnt landscapes in a matter of months.
* Bamboo releases 35% more oxygen than equivalent stands of trees.
* Bamboo can lower light intensity and protects against ultraviolet rays
* Bamboo is harvested and replenished with no impact to the environment. It can be harvested annually and is capable of complete regeneration without the need to replant!
* Bamboo is a critical element in the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
* Bamboo has antibacterial properties.
Bamboo fabrics are good for the environment and super soft on bebe's skin. It's win-win. Known for it's UV protection, antibacterial properties (the clothes won't smell) and naturally hypoallergenic - bamboo is the grass of the future!
Rock the the playground with So Rad's colourful and stylin' get-ups.
Manufacture of Bamboo
Technologies have allowed cellulose processed from bamboo to be spun into viscose yarn. Modern bamboo yarn is therefore a regenerated cellulose fibre.
The steps in the manufacturing of bamboo viscose are as follows:
1) Bamboo leaves and the soft, inner pith from the hard bamboo trunk are extracted using a steaming process and then mechanically crushed.
2) The crushed bamboo is soaked in sodium hydroxide to produce cellulose.
*A common misconception is that sodium hydroxide is a harmful chemical.
If used in a responsible manner sodium hydroxide has little known effect on the environment and health of workers. It is routinely used in the processing of organic cotton into fibre and is approved by the Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS) and the Soil Association. Sodium hydroxide does not remain as a residue on clothing as it easily washes away and can be neutralized to harmless and non-toxic sodium sulphate salt.
Source of Raw Material
Most of the bamboo used to make bamboo fibre and bamboo clothing is grown in China by Hebei Jigao Chemical Fiber Company. They hold the patent on the process for turning bamboo into fibre. This facility produces all of the bamboo viscose on the market. The bamboo is certified organic by OCIA (The Organic Crop Improvement Association). To strictly control the quality of raw material, Hebei Jigao Chemical Fiber Company has built its own bamboo plantation in Sichuan Province, China, and keeps strict control over it.
The bamboo is grown in accordance to the international organic standard of OCIA/IFOAM and the USDA National Organic Program, so as to ensure each bamboo stalk is of 100% natural growth and without any chemical pesticides. The proof of the ecologically sound methods behind bamboo production is the fact that all of the fibre produced at the facility in China is Oeko-Tex 100 certified. This certifies that the finished fibre has been tested for any chemicals that may be harmful to a person’s health and has been found to contain no trace chemicals that pose any health threat whatsoever. This means that every company working with bamboo starts with the same raw material and that this material is not contaminated. Manufacture of Bamboo Technologies have allowed cellulose processed from bamboo to be spun into viscose yarn. Modern bamboo yarn is therefore a regenerated cellulose fibre.