Bamboo

What are the benefits of bamboo fabric?

Bamboo fabric has become increasingly popular in recent years. More and more people are discovering how soft a fabric made from bamboo plant fibers can be. Bamboo fibers have a rounded surface, which makes them feel very comfortable on the skin. This is even the case if you are allergic to cotton fabrics, as bamboo is naturally hypoallergenic. Additionally, the fabric has great breathability. In summer, clothing made from bamboo fabric keeps you cool. Furthermore, bamboo blocks over 90 percent of all harmful UV radiation from the sun. In winter, many people experience bamboo fabric as being warmer than cotton fabrics of the same thickness.

This fabric is also known as bamboo cotton, but the name is not entirely accurate. There are actually no parts of the cotton plant involved in the production of bamboo fabric. Nevertheless, we can well understand the reason for the name. Cotton and bamboo fabric share many benefits. Both materials are breathable fabrics that drape well and feel comfortable on the skin. Additionally, both cotton and bamboo fabric can absorb relatively large amounts of moisture. Bamboo absorbs even more than cotton. Therefore, bamboo is excellent for a variety of clothing types intended for vigorous activity, but also for items such as towels and bathrobes.

There is a bamboo fabric that consists entirely of natural fibers. However, most of the bamboo fabrics in our range are a mixture of bamboo and a small amount of synthetic fibers. Polyester can enhance the crease-resistant, soft properties of the fabric. The use of elastane gives bamboo fabric a light stretchability that it does not have naturally. The comfort of wearing bamboo cotton clothing is only improved by this. Additionally, bamboo fabric is made from very strong fibers. Clothing made from this fabric lasts a long time, even when machine washed regularly.

Why bamboo is suitable for fabrics

In the past, many people found it strange that clothing and other textiles were made from bamboo. However, it is quite normal. After all, cotton is also made from the parts of a plant. For bamboo fabric, the cellulose fibers of bamboo are used. There are more than 1,450 species of the grass in the world, but for textiles, the fibers of the Moso bamboo are almost always used. This bamboo is the most common in China, where there are around 3 million hectares under cultivation. Because its fibers are so suitable for making fabric, Moso bamboo is now also grown in other countries.

Bamboo is so suitable for making fabrics because it is an extremely robust plant species that grows very quickly. Moso bamboo, in particular, can grow almost a metre a day in optimal conditions. As a grower, you don't have to do much to it. Furthermore, bamboo is highly resistant to plant diseases. Unlike cotton, except for organic GOTS Organic cotton, no chemical pesticides are required for the cultivation of bamboo. This makes bamboo fabric hypoallergenic. Young children can wear bamboo fabric clothing without becoming itchy, developing a rash, or experiencing other allergic reactions. This makes bamboo an excellent fabric for children.

The use of bamboo for cotton-like fabric is relatively new. In the past, strips of bamboo wood were used in China and Japan, for example, to make hats. However, the plant was primarily used for wood and paper. It wasn't until 2001 that the first bamboo fabric was successfully produced, although people had been experimenting with ways to use the fast-growing plant for clothing for the previous two centuries. In recent years, more and more people have discovered the benefits of the soft, hypoallergenic fabric.

Making clothes from bamboo fabric

One of the similarities between bamboo and cotton is that they are both made from natural fibers and can therefore shrink when washed for the first time. It is important then always to wash the fabric before using it. When it comes to washing and drying, bamboo fabric has almost the same requirements as cotton. The material can be machine washed at a maximum of 40 degrees. It is best to turn bamboo clothing inside out before washing. After washing, the fabric can be put in the dryer. Because bamboo fabric does not crease easily, it may not always be necessary to iron it, but it is possible to do so.

If you want to make clothing from bamboo fabric with some stretchiness, make sure to use a surface that holds the fabric in place, such as an anti-slip mat. People who cut or sew bamboo fabric for the first time are often surprised at how supple the fabric is. A universal needle is often a good choice for sewing with bamboo fabric. Only when working with thicker bamboo terry cloth, it may be necessary to use a thicker needle (with a thickness between 75 and 90). In this case, also check that the sewing machine foot or needle does not get stuck behind the loops in the fabric.

Buying bamboo fabric online

The rise of bamboo fabric was inevitable. The fabric is wonderfully soft and supple, making clothing made from this hypoallergenic fabric comfortable to wear. At Quality Textiles, you can order various types of bamboo fabric online. We offer the fabrics in various styles and more than twenty different colors. You can also rely on our webshop for haberdashery items to make clothing from bamboo fabric.