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FABRICS BAMBOO BUMS USES | ABOUT THE 'NAME CHANGE' I chose Viscose from Organic Bamboo fabrics for use in our products for a number of reasons. The two primary reasons are for it’s luxuriousness and it’s eco-friendliness. Viscose from Organic Viscose from Organic Bamboo Velour feels so wonderful, I couldn’t imagine a better fabric to use for baby products. The decision was solidified to use strictly Viscose from Organic Bamboo fabrics because Viscose from Organic Bamboo is such an earth friendly textile. Here are a few quick facts: Organic Bamboo is... Viscose from Organic Bamboo fabrics are*... (*To clarify, these characteristics are found among all Viscose fabrics due to the nature of the processing of the threads and are not simply unique to the bamboo cellulose used in the processing.) The Viscose from Organic Bamboo fabrics we use are as follows: Still interested in “why Viscose from Organic Bamboo”, read on…. Viscose from Organic Bamboo fabric is a natural textile made from the pulp of Bamboo grass. Viscose from Organic Bamboo fabric has been growing in popularity because it has many unique properties and is believed to be more sustainable than most textile fibers. Viscose from Organic Bamboo is highly absorbent, able to take up to three times its weight in water which makes it approximately 60% more absorbent than cotton. This translates to an excellent wicking ability that will pull moisture away from the skin so that it can evaporate. Organic Bamboo is grown without using pesticides or chemical fertilizers and it is 100% biodegradable. It is nature's most sustainable resource and is naturally regenerative Organic Bamboo is actually a tropical grass, with an extensive root system that sends out an average of four to six new shoots per year, naturally replenishing itself and growing to heights of 60 feet or more. Some Bamboo species grow up to 4 feet per day and can be harvested every 3 to 4 years. Organic Bamboo is now Viscose from Organic Bamboo So, what is with the new wording? Recently, a couple of mass manufacturers of ‘bamboo’ products found themselves in the face of a law suit with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Apparently what some manufactures were doing is miss representing their fabrics to consumers, and therefore were in breach of labeling laws. Their claims of their fabrics being 100% bamboo were not only false, but also in violation of FTC labeling regulations. In the midst of this the FTC decided that the way in which bamboo fabrics be labeled, be changed. In the past, rayon fabrics did not have to disclose the method in which they were created. NOW, if one uses ‘bamboo’ fabrics they need to disclose that they are ‘rayon from bamboo’ or ‘viscose from bamboo’. Confusing, I know. Now, instead of seeing a product that is 70% organic bamboo and 30% organic cotton, you will see 70% viscose (or rayon) from organic bamboo and 30% organic cotton. So, what does this ‘rayon’ or ‘viscose’ labeling mean? This simply means that the method in which the fabric was made. Bamboo Fabric is made from cellulose fibers with in the plant, which in order to turn into the amazing fabrics we know and love, needs to go through a special chemical processing to get it that way- which is where the rayon processing comes in. Rayon is a fabric process in which cellulose is forced through fine spinnerets (think big sieve) and the filaments are solidified (fibers are created). These filament fibers are then woven with another fabric, generally cotton, to create the ‘bamboo fabric’. So with bamboo fabrics, the cellulose is made from bamboo plants, spun out in to these fibers, and the entire process creates a rayon thread, made from bamboo. What’s the big deal? Well, all the claims of how ‘green’ bamboo fabric is. In reality, it’s a man made processed fiber that uses chemicals and produces chemical waste. To some, this is what makes the fabric not green. What is overlooked is the actual veracity of the PLANT itself, which is the reason why people consider the product so ‘green’. The Bamboo plant needs very little for growth, is quick to regenerate and grows literally like a weed. These aspects make it very green to those who are looking at that aspect of it. If you are looking at the manufacturing aspect of it, well, this industry still needs a little help. However, there are manufacturing plants that operate in what is considered a ‘closed loop’ process, in which little chemical waste is released in to the environment. What about the fabrics Bamboo Bums uses? This is the great part, at least from my stand point. When starting out, I chose a vendor whose products were already certified organic bamboo and Oeko-Tex 100 Certified. This basically means that all I have to do is make sure I change the wording on my products, BUT they are made from bamboo fibers and are CLEAN. The biggest thing for me, personally, was whether the plant which manufactures the fabric operated in a closed loop process. Because, well, if they didn’t we’d have to figure out a whole new fabric system. Luckily, my wholesaler, who is wonderful by the way, tracked all the details down and YES, it is a closed loop system. So, our fabrics are: -Manufactured with a closed loop system, meaning sustainable practices are being adhered to. -Made from Certified Organic Bamboo -Oeko- All that changes is how we have to word the ‘bamboo’ fabric component in labeling and advertising. |
