The Benefits Of Organic Clothing
Bamboo Clothes:
- Super soft with a luxurious feel
- More breathable and thermal regulating than regular cotton or synthetic fibres.
- Absorbs water faster than regular cotton
- Sustainability: Bamboo is the fastest growing plant. It does not need fertilisers or pesticides. It is 100% biodegradable.
- Bamboo has a unique antibacterial quality which is found naturally in the fibre, making it naturally anti-fungal and odour resistant. A great choice for a parent that faces the challenges of sensitive skin conditions such as baby eczema.
- Very durable, strong and versatile. Survives wash after wash.
- Naturally UV protectant.
Want to know more?
“7 Reasons Why You’ll Love Bamboo Baby Wear”
Bamboo Textile Manufacturing
Bamboo textile is one of the eco-friendliest products around. The bamboo plant itself has many redeeming qualities – sustainable, quick growing, no need for pesticide use and the completed product – soft, non-toxic, suitable for babies. But to turn that hardy tough plant into super soft wearable clothes takes a little work. There are 2 main methods – one is all natural but does not produce a wearable fabric and the other uses chemical intervention in a controlled manner, in one part of the manufacturing process and creates a soft, slinky material.
The natural process of breaking down a bamboo plant is crushing the wooden parts and then using natural enzymes to allow the resultant fibres to be mechanically combed out and spun. Problem is, these fibres are rough and scratchy and would not be very popular as clothes. It is also a labour intensive and costly process.
All commercially available bamboo clothes have been made using the sodium based method. This is the only way currently to achieve a fabric which can be made into a lovely fabric. Although this stage of bamboo processing is not ideal, as a whole, from land to store shelf, bamboo textiles still outweigh other materials in the environment friendly department and in the consumer friendly department. It is the best low-impact solution.
What’s involved? Sodium hydroxide is needed to aid in the breaking down of the woody bamboo stems. Although this is a chemical, it is not harmful to workers when used correctly (unlike pesticides). When the stems are pulverised another substance is added to the mixture which breaks the sodium hydroxide bonds and it just becomes plain old salt and water and no sign of any chemicals. Cellulose fibre is the substance created with the soaking process and that in turn is made into viscose from bamboo, and the textile.
No chemicals can be found on the bamboo fibre at the end of this process. You can check for OEKO-Tex100 certification which means there is no residual chemicals left on the fabric as deemed by an independent certification agency. You can find more information at www.oeko-tex.com.
Looking at the overall picture, the main points to remember:
- Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on Earth. Sustainable. Biodegradable.
- Bamboo uses no water to grow (And although organic cotton is a huge improvement over conventional cotton production, it still needs water (managed by eco-friendly irrigation practices))
- Bamboo does not need pesticides or fertilisers to thrive
- The chemicals used in the production process, although not ideal, do less harm than heavy pesticide use on the farm workers.
- The chemical process is contained and controlled in a factory, there is no run off to damage eco-systems and recycling is possible and best practise.
- Compared to the production of conventional cotton and synthetic materials – there are many positive aspects – from the health of the farm workers, to the environment, to your baby’s delicate skin
- Bamboo textile production is a work in process. New techniques are constantly being developed. Stay tuned!
The Benefits
Organic Cotton Clothes:
Cotton is a natural fibre however modern farming and manufacturing methods use chemical pesticides and fertilisers and other nasty toxins.
Organic Cotton, which is certified by an accredited independent organisation, excludes all these chemicals and as such produces non-toxic baby clothes. Organic Farmers use processes such as beneficial insects, compost and weeding by hand or machine in order to build soil quality.
The results:
- 100% eco-friendly
- The natural, chemical-free process drastically reduces soil and water pollution
- Natural soft feel. A beautiful quality and texture
- It is Hypoallergenic. It will not cause any skin allergy or irritation.
You can read more about the standards for GOTs certified organic baby clothes at the GOTs website.
The Standards
GOTS: The aim of the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is to define requirements to ensure the organic status of textiles, from harvesting of the raw materials, through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing, right up to the end product being sold to the customer. They are mandatory third party assessments.
What is GOTs certified? Final products produced and manufactured in compliance with all compulsory criteria of the GOTS may be labelled with the term ‘Global Organic Textile Standard’ in addition to ‘Organic’ which is ≥95% certified organic fibres, no blending.
You can be assured that products noted as being certified by GOTs on this website, that their manufacturer & their entire supply chain are certified.
OEKO-Tex Standard 100 Again this gives consumers reassurance. OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 is an independent test and certification system for all types of textiles tested for harmful substances – from threads and fabrics to the ready-to-use items that you can buy in the shops.
“I purchased toys & clothing for my newborn, & the products were beautiful & made to last. Service & delivery was personalised & prompt. I highly recommend Bamboo Lulu to parents looking for chemical-free & ethically made clothes & toys for their precious bubs.”
