To Wear or Not to Wear Bamboo

Wear Bamboo

Lately, there has been a lot of controversy about bamboo. Those who are making bamboo clothes are touting it as sustainable and simply a better alternative to conventional cotton and other fabrics. It is renewable, pesticide-free, anti-bacterial, soft, and versatile and nearly three times more absorbent than cotton. It keeps you warm in the winter and cool in the summer while also blocking UV rays. Those against it say it actually takes a lot of energy to make bamboo clothes from start to finish. Need some help navigating the debate?

The bamboo plant is arguably the most renewable resource on our planet. It has an extensive rooting system, and needs little water, growing 4-6 new shoots per year, in fact it is considered to be the fastest growing plant in the world. It also thrives without the use of pesticides. Conversely, cotton uses more insecticides then any other single crop in the world, 25 percent of the world’s insecticides and 10 percent of the world’s pesticides to be exact. Did I mention it is not considered a renewable resource and uses large amounts of water?

I recently came across a few companies I really like who are making bamboo clothing responsibly and stylishly. Protect the Element was founded by a concerned mother who wanted to make clothing free of harsh chemicals for her children. The line includes fun shirts, sweatpants, and hoodies for both boys and girls, while the adult line for women includes gorgeous, white draping dresses perfect for walks on the beach. She also pays great attention to detail by sewing on special buttons and vintage wood pieces. Sprout is another sustainable clothing company that is exclusively designed for babies and young children. The line comes in the softest of bamboo, organic cotton, and corn fabrics, utilizing an enormous variety of colors from low-impact dyes. And yes, I also found a lovely little lingerie line called Urban Fox based out of Chicago. For those days I want to feel special I wear my pink boy shorts with black lace. They are so soft and eco-sexy. Hey, did I also mention bamboo is 100 percent biodegradable? Another plus.

For more information check out these sites:

Protect the Element can be found at Green Rohini, greenrohini.com

Sprout, sproutkidsclothing.com

Urban Fox, urbanfoxeco.com