Bamboo yarns

holamiis · 10-12-2007, 12:15 PM

Hey ya'll-
Do you know anything about bamboo yarns? I was super excited to buy some, it's really soft and pretty but I was talking with my aunt who said that while bamboo is great for the environment when used in its orignal form (ie hard surfaces), it takes really harsh, unfriendly chemicals to make the fibers soft enough for fabric.

Can anyone verify this info for me?

Thanks,
Erin

MMario · 10-12-2007, 05:45 PM

There are two types of bamboo yarn. One is a very rarely found natural fiber produced from the shoots and leaves of certain bamboos much as linen is from flax. It *can* be chemically treated but is possible to produce by traditional methods of water retting etc. I think Habu carries some.

The much more common "bamboo" yarn uses bamboo as a cellulose source to produce chemically altered and treated extruded man-made fibers.

MellieThePooh · 10-12-2007, 05:59 PM

Originally Posted by MMario

The much more common "bamboo" yarn uses bamboo as a cellulose source to produce chemically altered and treated extruded man-made fibers.

So is it good or bad?

MMario · 10-12-2007, 06:07 PM

It is considered "green" because it is produced with a fast growing, renewable resource.

Is it "natural'? no.

it is less harmful then some other man made prodcuts but it is still chemically created product.

"good" or "bad" depends on you and your point of view.

It's an artificially produced cellulose product which requires chemicals and a great amount of technology to produce.

MellieThePooh · 10-13-2007, 12:09 AM

The main question I have is what the nature of the chemicals they use is? Dish soap is a chemical, and so is Uranium. One of them I keep in my kitchen.

suzeeq · 10-13-2007, 02:58 AM

Actually, uranium is a mineral....

booskibabe · 10-13-2007, 03:52 AM

I don't know what chemicals they use to process it, but I've knit with it and it's sooooo soft! Truly the softest yarn I've handled or used thus far.

MellieThePooh · 10-13-2007, 06:18 PM

Originally Posted by suzeeq

Actually, uranium is a mineral....

It's an element. Which is a chemical.

suzeeq · 10-13-2007, 06:29 PM

Yes, I know it's an element, but since it's mined out of the ground, I figgered it could be classified as a mineral too....

WildMountainHoney · 10-13-2007, 07:24 PM

Here is an article on bamboo in fashion.

Basically, chemically altered bamboo (what most bamboo yarn and clothing is) is not that much different from rayon/viscose or modal.