Why Bamboo clothing is the perfect choice for comfort as well as a more ethical wardrobe
Fashion is probably the world’s biggest polluter. The industry depletes resources, pollutes water and air and creates a lot of waste. And it’s not only natural resources; fibre production, spinning, weaving, dyeing, as well as clothing transportation consume high levels of energy. This is also exacerbated at the consumer end by all the wearing, washing and ironing. The need for good quality, long-lasting clothing rather than throw-away fashion is greater than ever. Clothes that are made to last are far more energy-efficient than ones which ends up quickly re-entering a textile recycle programme, or worse, going to landfill.
Looking for sustainable, eco-friendly and long-lasting fabrics is the only way to reverse the negative effect of fashion on the environment. Here we take a look at why bamboo is an all-round winner, both due to its remarkable properties and as a more sustainable fabric.
Why is bamboo such a great fabric?
- It is biodegradable. As a natural cellulose fibre, it can completely disintegrate in soil. The process of decomposition doesn’t cause any harm or pollution to the environment.
- It doesn’t need pesticides or fertilisers. It grows quite fast (in some cases, even 1 meter a day) and can survive extreme conditions. Just an example of its resilience is that a bamboo grove in Japan were the only plants to survive the radiation from the atomic bomb in Hiroshima!
- High water absorption. Because the bamboo fibre is filled with various micro-gaps and micro-holes, it has much better moisture absorption than other fabrics. With this unparalleled micro-structure, bamboo fibre can absorb and evaporate sweat in a split second.
- It is breathable. Apparel made from bamboo is 1-2 degrees cooler than normal apparel in hot weather.
- It is antibacterial. The antibacterial properties of bamboo are not destroyed during the manufacturing process; instead they remain in the bamboo fabric. Even after fifty times of washing, bamboo fibre still possesses excellent antibacterial and hypoallergenic properties.
- Bamboo manufacturing process. During the production process, solid material is separated and used as fertiliser and industrial additives and water after treatment is recycled. Our bamboo fabric is manufactured in a close-loop system, where everything from solvent and its by-products to water is recycled.
Patra’s Bamboo range
At Patra we use Bamboo in many of our collections, including women and men fashion, several accessories and new introductions to our towel range.
Bamboo womenswear
(Left to right) Bamboo A-Line Skirt, Bamboo-Cotton Pleated Top, Bamboo-Cotton Top with Ties
Patra has a wide range of bamboo clothing, from baselayers to everyday essentials. We’ve recently expanded the bamboo choices available and our AW18 Collection includes two new tops and a skirt. All our pieces are easy to dress up or down and, as always, we’ve put comfort first.
(Left to right) Bamboo Mix Socks, Bamboo-Cotton Snood
We have also included new styles and colours in our accessories range. All your favourites are still there; our socks and snood are available right now, but there’ll also be new styles coming out soon, so keep your eyes peeled!
Bamboo menswear
(Left to right) Bamboo-cotton Polo Neck Top, Bamboo-Cotton Round Neck Top
This season we are introducing two new bamboo and cotton tops for men, a round neck and a polo neck. Featuring alongside our highly popular men’s underwear and baselayers, these new tops are the essence of cosiness and warmth. In our signature bamboo and cotton mix and in seasonal colours, they will be indispensable for the transition to winter.
Bamboo towels and cloths
Finally, we have expanded our towel range with a new hand towel, made from 100% organic bamboo. Our organic bamboo is FSC-certified, ECOCERT-certified and has also been awarded its organic status from the National Organic Program (NOP) in the US. Our suppliers keep their own bamboo plantation and keep strict control over it, to ensure the best quality of raw material.
Caring for Bamboo-Cotton Collars
If you are using the bamboo-cotton collar for shielding purposes and wish to retain the look/feel of your bamboo-cotton collar whilst ensuring that it is suitably sanitized we would recommend the following:
Place your collar in a saucepan of water and suitable silk detergent and bring to the boil whilst very gently agitating the collar using an appropriate kitchen utensil. Once boiled remove from the heat and allow to cool. Then when safe to do so, decant the water and detergent solution refilling the saucepan with cold water and add a touch of fabric conditioner at this point if desired. Stir the collar again then remove and gently squeeze excess liquid (using appropriate rubber gloves), then rinse using fresh water only twice then final time squeeze out excess water. Reshape and leave to dry.
Some staff members however have a more ‘carefree’ attitude towards their collars and machine wash them in amongst a normal 60°C wash. We categorically do not recommend this for your signature bamboo-cotton dress/blouse/etc. but these can be appropriate for less ‘treasured’ items such as collars/socks if you feel that a quicker degrading of the item is an acceptable price to pay for convenience.
Beautiful fabrics for a brighter future
At Patra we believe in doing our bit to help the environment. We have always made clothing from natural fabrics and are always on the look out for materials we can use that are more sustainable. As well as this, we’ve reduced the amount of packaging we use and made much of it recyclable.
But most importantly, we make clothes that are comfortable and long lasting, so you’ll be wearing then for years rather than throwing them out after a handful of uses.
Bamboo is one of those fabrics that is so easy to love and a real favourite of ours and our customers. It really is the perfect blend of skin-kind softness and sustainable credentials.
