"Bamboo fabrics: what is it, composition, characteristics, areas of application
Bamboo knitwear has been actively produced in the textile industry relatively recently, but it has quickly gained recognition among consumers. It is highly valued for its natural origin, environmental friendliness and excellent consumer properties. Let's discuss how bamboo fabric is made, its composition and properties, areas of use and care recommendations.
A bit of history
Bamboo is most common in East Asia, where the inhabitants of this region were the first to use the plant for construction and making household items.
Bamboo is a perennial evergreen crop. The plant's unique feature is its growth rate: the stem grows by 20-100 cm or more per day and reaches a height of about 30 m. It is hardy, does not require complex care, protection from pests and actually grows on its own. The scale of the yield is also impressive: 1 hectare yields 10 times more raw material than cotton. https://gracify.co.uk/womens-flare-yoga-pants-uk/ Therefore, the plant is considered a rapidly renewable natural resource.
Bamboo is one of the most promising eco-cultures that will help solve several global problems of our planet at once
The ancestor of bamboo fabric is viscose, which began to be produced from coniferous wood at the beginning of the 20th century. A century later, the technology for producing this fabric reached China, where they began to produce viscose from bamboo, because this plant is most common in China. Bamboo fiber began to be produced in large quantities in 2005, and China was and remains the largest exporter of this raw material. The production and sale of bamboo material for clothing is also common in India, Turkey and Pakistan.
It grows well in narrow areas, forming dense thickets. Planting rapidly spreading bamboo forests helps protect areas from desertification.
It produces 35% more oxygen than any other tree species and absorbs five times more carbon dioxide, which leads to a reduction in the greenhouse effect.
It is easily disposed of and is an excellent natural fertilizer.
Bamboo material: what kind of fabric is it
Many people are concerned about the composition of bamboo fabric - what it is made of, since the description in different sources differs.
The raw material for obtaining fabrics is the soft inner part of the stem, leaves and young shoots of the plant. How is bamboo fabric made? It is obtained in two ways.
● Chemical.
The raw materials are crushed using special equipment and immersed in sodium hydroxide to soften. https://gracify.co.uk/high-rise-yoga-leggings/
The finished mass is passed through a mesh until a homogeneous mass is obtained, then treated with carbon disulfide for bleaching and alkalization.
Threads are formed from the solidified mass.
Viscose is obtained in the same way.
Bamboo is most common in East Asia, where the inhabitants of this region were the first to use the plant for construction and making household items.
Due to the specifics of the technology used, which includes the use of chemical reagents, the question arises: is bamboo fiber synthetic or not? All chemical elements are removed from the yarn during processing, leaving only plant fibers. Thus, the composition of bamboo fabric can be considered 100% natural.
An environmentally friendly option for industrial production of bamboo fabrics is the use of the ""closed cycle"" method. Chemical solutions used in separating fibers are reused and do not pollute the environment, respectively, reducing energy and water consumption.
● Mechanical.
The method is completely environmentally friendly, but labor-intensive, time-consuming and expensive.
Bamboo raw materials are crushed mechanically.
Natural enzymes are used to soften the mixture.
Individual fibers are pulled out from the resulting mass and made into yarn.
The fabrics are made using a simple satin weave.