Bamboo textiles are cloth, yarn and clothing made out of bamboo fibers. The bamboo species for textile production is commonly known as Moso bamboo, primarily grown in China. Bamboo is grown without pesticides or fertilizers, unlike cotton which uses 25% of the worlds’ pesticides and less than 10% of the agricultural land mass. The positive things about bamboo are that it absorbs more carbon dioxide than equivalent stands of trees. It absorbs more water than cotton. The porous nature of the fiber makes it breathable and extremely comfortable against the skin. It also keeps the wearer warm in cool weather and perfect for extra sensitive skin due to its organic and natural properties. Luxuriously soft, bamboo feels like silky cashmere. Bamboo garments are praised for design characteristics similar to lyocell, which is a biodegradable fabric made from wood pulp cellulose (which is considered eco friendly) because their formulations use are supposedly nontoxic to humans.

There are two methods by which bamboo may be processed into fiber for fabric. The first is a mechanical process, the stalks are crushed and natural enzymes break them down further, allowing fibers to be combed out. The other follows the process by which rayon is made where the fibers are broken down. Common production from plant to fabric is not as green as eco-minded people would like.

Scrutiny is gaining attention because heavy and toxic chemicals are typically utilized to process bamboo into fabrics. So don’t fall for the gold rush, the bottom line is to investigate before making a bamboo investment.