| If we're going to talk about bamboo t shirts, we | | | | the clothing manufacturers care about the source of |
| need to start with the bamboo itself. Because | | | | the rayon they are buying? Or are clothing companies |
| bamboo is naturally resistant to bacteria and fungus, | | | | just concerned with a great, new "green marketing" |
| it can be grown without the use of pesticides, | | | | campaign wrapped around the great qualities of |
| herbicides, or fertilizers. Bamboo is the perfect | | | | bamboo? |
| organic crop. | | | | This isn't far-fetched. In the past, how many clothing |
| Bamboo grows incredibly fast and can be harvested | | | | companies bought from sweatshops just to save a |
| in 3-5 years. Classified as a grass, it is the fastest | | | | buck? Right now, how many bamboo clothing |
| growing grass on Earth and can shoot up a yard or | | | | companies buy cheap rayon, and never question how |
| more per day. Acre for acre, Bamboo plantations | | | | it's being made or what happens to the waste |
| absorb 5 times the amount of carbon dioxide and | | | | products? |
| produce 35% more oxygen than trees. | | | | The FTC recently issued a warning about the |
| In the last few years, bamboo fabric has been made | | | | subject, and charged 4 companies with deceptive |
| into t-shirts, dresses, swimsuits, you name it. People | | | | advertising. The FTC said, basically, that by leaving |
| love it for the way it feels, the way it drapes over | | | | out the part about rayon, and just promoting the |
| the body, and the way it breathes. It feels like | | | | green aspects of bamboo alone, clothing companies |
| nothing else. But we can talk about the great qualities | | | | were deceiving the public. In other words, maybe |
| of bamboo, and the great qualities of bamboo fabric, | | | | bamboo clothing wasn't all that green. |
| but what you rarely hear is the word: rayon. | | | | So is clothing made from bamboo good or not? Well, |
| But the fact is this: bamboo clothing is made from | | | | it depends on the company making it. But how can |
| rayon. | | | | you tell if the bamboo rayon in the shirt you buy was |
| Is this a bad thing? No, of course not. Rayon | | | | made by a responsible company? |
| happens to be a great fabric. So why is the rayon | | | | The problem is you can't. There are no current seals |
| aspect downplayed? To find out, we need to look at | | | | of approval, so to speak, that apply to this issue. |
| the history of rayon and how it is made. | | | | You will see labels like OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100, |
| Rayon came about as a result of inventors looking | | | | but this applies only to the finished fabric properties. |
| for a cheaper alternative to silk. In 1891, Charles | | | | The OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 tells you that the |
| Cross of England, along with Edward Bevan and | | | | finished product is chemical free, but that doesn't |
| Clayton Beadle, found a way to make rayon through | | | | guarantee that the rayon used in its manufacture |
| what they called a viscose process. The process | | | | didn't come from some polluting rayon manufacturing |
| involved heavy chemical processing of wood pulp, | | | | plant. |
| from which the rayon fabric was made. | | | | Right now, the best bet to guarantee a bamboo shirt |
| Rayon became very popular and large industrial plants | | | | is made from rayon produced in a responsible manner |
| were set up to produce it. But problems developed | | | | is to stay with well-known, environmentally |
| with hazardous waste, among them carbon disulphide, | | | | committed companies who follow a rigorous, ethical, |
| which ended up polluting the air and groundwater. | | | | and transparent course from the source up. |
| The Avtex Rayon Fibers Plant in Virginia, for | | | | In the long run, the organic green movement has to |
| example, was eventually shut down in 1989 and | | | | be an unbroken chain from source to destination. |
| declared by the EPA as a Superfund Site. It cost | | | | That means the growers, the raw-material producers, |
| millions of dollars and years to clean up that site. | | | | the manufacturers, the wholesalers, the retailers, and |
| So that, in essence, is the problem. We have on one | | | | the customers. It all has to work together. |
| hand a great organic raw material, bamboo, and on | | | | In the end, it's the customer who makes the last, |
| the other hand we have a great fabric, bamboo | | | | final, and most important decision. And you can only |
| rayon. But the conversion process can be an | | | | make the right decision if you know all the facts. So |
| environmental problem if it isn't handled correctly. | | | | when buying any of the new bamboo rayon clothing |
| So how do we know? Who's to say if any particular | | | | products, ask a few questions about who makes |
| rayon plant around the world is handling its waste in a | | | | them and their commitment to the environment. |
| responsible manner? Is anybody watching? Do any of | | | | |