Why Bamboo for Towelling?
Bamboo fiber has been touted as THE natural, green, renewable and eco-friendly textile of the 21st Century.
Sustainable & Eco-friendly
Bamboo thrives naturally, unlike cotton which uses about 25% of the world’s pesticides and fertilisers. Bamboo grows incredibly quickly, and mature stems are harvested only once the new replacement stems start to grow. This means that forested areas are never totally depleted and they are also pesticide free. The sustainable harvesting model means harvesting typically follows a 4-year cycle which allows the stems to reach maturity before they are harvested.
The cellulose fiber is converted into yarns without the addition of toxic chemicals, and is 100% biodegradable in soil by micro-organism and sunshine, causing no pollution to the environment.
Super Absorbent
Because the cross-section of the bamboo fiber is filled with various micro-gaps and micro-holes, it has much better moisture absorption and ventilation. With this unparalleled micro-structure, bamboo fiber has an absorbency rate of about 300% that of cotton, so it literally ‘drinks’ up moisture.
Anti-Bacterial
Japanese scientists discovered that bamboo owns a natural and unique anti-bacterial, bacteriostatasis and deoderising bio-agent called “bamboo KUN”
It prevents bacteria, yeasts, moulds and fungus from cultivating, and it is now distilled from bamboo and added into other products for the application of antibacterial character.
(Bamboo fabric is now being used in operating theatres for surgeons’ gowns, masks and cloths!)
The Japan Textile Inspection Association has tested bamboo fiber fabric finding that even after 50 washes, the bamboo fabric could still eliminate over 70% of bacteria purposely incubated on the fabric. Wow!
Ultra-plush Texture
At a microscopic level, bamboo filament has a round surface. Because of this, it looks and feels like silk. It is softer than the softest cotton with a natural lustre and sheen on its surface. When made into a fabric, it drapes with the luxury of cashmere. It also has what is called a very high soil release value which means it is resistant to soil or dirt! How much better can it get?
Fighting Global Warming
Bamboo takes in nearly 5 times the amount of greenhouse gasses, and produces 35% more oxygen, than an equivalent stand of trees, making it an efficient replenisher of fresh air.
It removes CO2 from the atmosphere through photosynthesis by using carbon as an energy source and converting it into plant tissue which releases oxygen as a by-product. While tree plantations must be chopped down for harvest, bamboo renews itself by sending up new shoots constantly. The ability of bamboo to rapidly take up excess nutrients contained in waste waters from manufacturing, intensive livestock farming and sewerage plants has captured the attention of industrial and municipal engineers seeking to establish environmentally safe and reliable ways to deal with such issues.
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