Bamboo textiles an eco-friendly, natural alternative to Cotton

In the olden times, the Chinese and Japanese wove thin strips of the bark to make hats and shoes but in recent years, due to technological developed bamboo textile can be created. Bamboo textiles are cloth, yarn and clothing made from bamboo fibres. Bamboo fibres are to be used in a wide range of textile and fashion applications.

Modern bamboo fabric is made from either 100% bamboo yarn or a blend of bamboo and cotton yarn. Bamboo yarn can also be blended with other textile fibres such such as hemp or even as spandex.

From bedding to nappies, bamboo is more breathable and more absorbent than cotton. It also has natural antibacterial properties and is softer to the touch than cotton but is just as durable. Although many of these claims are disputed, what isn’t in doubt is bamboo’s ecological sustainability and it’s lack of need for pesticides or fertilisers.

Today, hundreds of household fabrics are made from bamboo textiles including curtains, towels, bed sheets and cleaning cloths.

Bamboo stalks contain bast fibers that can be processed into a relatively stiff and rough fabric like flax (linen) or hemp. Most bamboo fabric in the market, however, has a smooth, silky hand that feels similar to rayon—because that’s essentially what it is.