Eco-Fashionista: Bamboo

You've seen my take on bamboo fabric, here's Brett's! Enjoy!

Bamboo is one of the world’s most sustainable recourses. So it makes sense that eco-friendly clothing manufacturers are moving towards it as an organic alternative to cotton. It’s not only a great alternative, growing it as a resource helps the environment.

Environmental benefits of bamboo

-Cleans the air. Bamboo gives us clean air to breathe, consumes carbon dioxide and, because bamboo forests are so dense, returns 30% more oxygen to the atmosphere than trees. Some bamboo sequester up to 12 tons of carbon dioxide from the air per hectare.
-Requires less energy, water to grow. It takes much less energy to grow and sustain bamboo than other similar trees and plants used for fiber production. Bamboo plantations require very little maintenance. Bamboo also requires very little water and can survive drought conditions as well as flooding.
-Reclaims land. Because of its rapid growth and root structure, bamboo can, in a very short time, reclaim land destroyed by overgrazing and over-building and clean the soil of toxins.

-Can be grown without pesticides. Bamboo can be grown without pesticides or chemicals because of its own anti-bacterial agent.

-Can be harvested sustainably. Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants on the planet, making it a high yield renewable resource. It can be selectively harvested annually and is capable of complete regeneration without need to replant.

-100% biodegradable. Unlike synthetic fibers which incorporate petroleum additives, bamboo clothing is safe for municipal disposal programs, whether by landfill or incineration.

Bamboo fabric is used for a range of clothing, such as shirts, dresses, socks and slacks, and because of its antimicrobial properties, is ideal for active wear. Bamboo is often blended with 30% cotton to add structure to garments. Bamboo is also used for sheets and pillowcases, because its smooth fiber lends a satin feel; bamboo sheets also feel warmer in winter and cooler in summer. As an added benefit, bamboo products are often less expensive than their cotton, silk or rayon counterparts.

Due to its qualities of being breathable and soft, I am a big fan of bamboo yoga wear as well as home products such as towels and sheets. As an avid yogi, I find it hard to find great and simple active wear. Let’s face it…..new organic alternatives have a ways to go on the runway. I mean, all fashion forward styles and trends are rayon and lycra, no?
But always on the quest for the perfect T-shirt…I have found that bamboo is the best. It’s comfortable and fits the body well, perfect to breath during yoga, as well as paired with jeans and flats.

I’d recommend checking out:

http://www.bambooecowear.com/shop/

They have great T-shirts. Their website is a bit crap, but I find they have a really great mix of home wear, baby products and t-shirts. And honestly….I just really like the guy fronting as the model for the website. I do. Yum. Mm.