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Questions and Answers About Bamboo Fabric

February 17, 2013 by Anne Marie 15 Comments

Spread it around!

 

Is bamboo really the miracle fabric that some marketers make it out to be? Does it really kill bacteria? Is it super eco-friendly? Does it cure cancer?

You get my drift. There’s a lot of hype surrounding bamboo, and this was especially true when it first hit the cloth diaper world.

Here are some questions and answers about what has now become one of the most popular diapering fabrics:

What is bamboo? It’s a fast-growing plant (in the grass family) that is tough and fibrous. The hard stalks can be used to make utensils, furniture and even tools. The leaves and pulp can be rendered into food products and even fabric. When it’s processed to be used as a fabric, the technical name is actually “rayon from bamboo” or “viscose,” and it arguably is actually a synthetic fabric rather than a natural one (in the traditional sense of the word). Rayon fabric can be made from things besides bamboo, including cotton or wood pulp.

Manufacturers and sellers are supposed to label and market their bamboo/viscose products accordingly, but they often don’t, especially in advertisements.

Is bamboo environmentally friendly? All fabrics, even those marketed as “eco-friendly,” impact the environment in some way. Bamboo is a very green crop on several scores. It absorbs more carbon dioxide than a typical tree, and quickly grows after harvest, because unlike a tree that dies after being cut, bamboo replenishes in much the same way that grass does. It grows well without irrigation, pesticides or chemical fertilizers. And because it grows like grass and has more surface roots, it helps to prevent soil erosion better than trees and other plants do.

But what about the chemicals used to turn it into rayon fabric? Sodium hydroxide is the major player; it’s also known as caustic soda. While it is a strong chemical, it poses no health hazards when used properly and disposed of in a responsible manner. Caustic soda is even used in the product of organic cotton, which is also marketed as a green fabric. One way that factories lessen the environmental impact of rayon from bamboo production is to use a closed loop system that recycles the sodium hydroxide and water for re-use.

Is bamboo anti-microbial? Although some marketers claim that it’s naturally antimicrobial, I haven’t been able to verify that. Even if it was in its raw form, the benefit would likely be lost in processing.

Why is bamboo ideal for cloth diapers? Some babies who are sensitive to microfiber do well when switched to bamboo. It’s also more absorbent than cotton, and has a wonderful silky feel to it.

Are there any drawbacks to bamboo as a diapering fabric? Bamboo holds on to stains more easily than synthetic fibers like microfleece and microfiber. Bamboo is more expensive than it’s major competitor – cotton – but not by too much. Here are some cost comparisons from Nicki’s Diapers:

  • Imagine cotton prefolds are $1.75 each; Imagine bamboo prefolds are $2.25 each
  • Imagine cotton flats are $1.66; Imagine bamboo flats are $3.85 each

Imagine Newborn Stay-Dry AIO is $10.95; the Imagine Newborn Bamboo AIO is $11.95 (photo below)

What are some of my favorite bamboo diapers?

  • The Diaper Rite Bamboo All-in-One
  • The Funky Fluff All-in-One
  • Imagine Stretchy Bamboo Flat Diapers
  • Diaper Rite Bamboo/Cotton Flats

Filed Under: Cloth Diapers Tagged With: bamboo antimicrobial, bamboo benefits, bamboo cloth diaper fabric, bamboo cloth diapers, bamboo environmental impact, bamboo environmentally friendly, bamboo sustainable

About Anne Marie

I'm the creator of Zephyr Hill Blog, where families can find help with child rearing, homeschooling and hobby farming. Be sure to check out my huge database of cloth diaper reviews. There's also a shopping guide to help you find the best deals!

Comments

  1. Suzi Satterfield says

    February 18, 2013 at 10:10 am

    I love bamboo for an overnight doubler. 🙂

    Reply
    • Zephyr Hill says

      February 18, 2013 at 7:02 pm

      Me, too! And they don’t stink like microfiber does over time….

      Reply
  2. Heidi says

    February 18, 2013 at 10:40 am

    Bamboo is also much thinner than microfiber. We stopped having leaks completely once we switched to all bamboo inserts. Love them.

    Reply
    • Zephyr Hill says

      February 18, 2013 at 7:02 pm

      That’s a good point, Heidi!

      Reply
  3. Wanda says

    June 4, 2014 at 10:20 pm

    This answered a lot of my questions about bamboo diapers. I’ve heard that bamboo also stains more easily. Is that true?

    Reply
    • Zephyr Hill says

      June 5, 2014 at 9:12 am

      Yes, in my experience it does. But nothing that a good sunning can’t fix. ~Anne

      Reply
  4. Chrissy Allen says

    June 8, 2014 at 8:26 pm

    Thanks for this post. I’ve always wondered exactly how green bamboo is….there’s plenty of marketing hype.

    Reply
  5. A different Heidi says

    June 15, 2014 at 7:43 pm

    I was planning to use organic cotton to avoid chemicals and pesticides. Do bamboo diapers usually contain chemicals and pesticides or are they always organic?

    Reply
    • Zephyr Hill says

      June 16, 2014 at 8:25 am

      Although it’s grown very sustainably (requires no irrigation or fertilizer or pesticides), most bamboo fabric is not certified organic. However, I would say that it is definitely “organic” in spirit! ~Anne

      Reply
      • A different Heidi says

        June 16, 2014 at 1:12 pm

        Organic in spirit is great. Thanks!

        Reply
  6. Irina Johnson says

    November 3, 2014 at 12:05 am

    This answered a lot of my questions about bamboo diapers. Bamboo is also much thinner than microfiber. We stopped having leaks completely once we switched to all bamboo inserts. Love them.

    Reply
    • Anne says

      November 3, 2014 at 10:20 am

      Glad it was helpful, Irina! ~Anne

      Reply
  7. Efren says

    June 4, 2020 at 1:29 pm

    Hi I’m looking to make t-shirts with bamboo fabric, specifically with bamboo/spandex maybe some cotton. My questions that is there different types of quality for bamboo fabric. How can I determine is it’s good quality or bad quality (considering I’m ordering fabric online). Thank you’

    Reply
    • Anne Marie says

      June 4, 2020 at 3:10 pm

      Hi Efren! I wish I could give personal recommendations for the best bamboo fabrics but I’m not a seamstress or textile manufacturer. Your best bet might be to get some advice from a small business owner who makes and sells bamboo apparel. – Anne Marie

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. How to Read a Cloth Diaper Review Maman Loup's Den says:
    November 9, 2014 at 8:44 am

    […] vs. Bamboo vs. Hemp vs. Charcoal Bamboo vs. Cotton vs. Some kind of combo of […]

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