Natural Fabric from the fastest growing woody plant, Bamboo

A sustainable lifestyle and conscious clothing are the way forward amidst growing environmental concerns. With several options available for natural fibres, it has become easier to embrace sustainability. As the fashion industry makes a switch to sustainable clothing, the use of fabrics crafted out of natural fibres has become imperative. Several brands across the globe are ardently using Bamboo fabrics. Bamboo as a natural fibre has many features that can benefit us if we are considering sustainable clothing. Let us explore Bamboo as a natural fabric.

Bamboo natural fibre farming

Bamboo is the fastest growing woody plant. Cultivation of Bamboo is hassle-free as it requires no pesticides. It is a tropical grass that can be grown on marginal and degraded land, as well as on elevated ground, field bunds, and river banks. Bamboo easily adapts to most climatic conditions and soil types, acting as a soil stabilizer. It also helps to counter greenhouse effect by acting as an effective carbon sink.

Bamboo cultivation in India

India has rich resources of Bamboo. The annual production of Bamboo in our country is estimated to be around 3.23 million tons. Bamboo cultivation accounts for approximately 12.8% of our country’s total forest area. Approximately 28% occur in the North Eastern States, followed by 20.3% in Madhya Pradesh, 9.90% in Maharashtra, 8.7% in Orissa, 7.4% in Andhra Pradesh, 5.5 % in Karnataka, and the balance is spread across the remaining states of our country.

Transforming Bamboo fibre to fabric

The term “bamboo fabric” broadly refers to a variety of textiles made from the bamboo plant. Fabrics have been crafted from bamboo for many years. The process of transforming this hardy and fast-growing wood into fabric has only recently been refined.

Extraction

For extracting the Bamboo cellulose, leaves, and the soft inner pith from the hard Bamboo pith are crushed

Soaking

Extracted Bamboo fibres are soaked in natural enzymes

Spinning

Soaked fibres are washed and spun into yarn. Yarn is used to weave fabrics

Bamboo fabric: Is it better than other natural fabrics?

• Bamboo fabric is softer than cotton
• Due to micro-gaps and micro-holes in the fibre,  it has better moisture absorption and ventilation
• Bamboo fabrics can effectively absorb and evaporate sweat, hence it never sticks to the skin
• Bamboo yarns show great elasticity
• Bamboo fabrics require less dye
• Bamboo fabrics are eco-friendly and biodegradable
• Bamboo fabrics are suitable for summer as it is anti-ultraviolet in nature

Bamboo fabrics are used to make products such as towels, underwear, shirts, bed sheets, and even mattresses due to their durability and softness. As Bamboo fabric is more breathable, soft, and smooth it is also the preferred replacement for cotton fabric. As Bamboo as a fibre is more stretchable, it’s easy to weave Bamboo fibres into fabrics with high thread counts. Hence, the resulting Bamboo textiles are often thinner than their other natural fabric counterparts while having similar or greater tensility.

ReshaMandi is bringing natural fibres to the forefront

ReshaMandi through digitization has changed the entire contour of Indian natural fibres ecosystem. By creating a value-added supply chain, ReshaMandi is benefiting all the stakeholders and is also bringing natural fibres to the forefront. With effective processes in place, ReshaMandi is increasing the production of natural fibres. It is making raw materials easily accessible to yarn manufacturers and amplifying natural fibre yarn production. It is facilitating hassle-free natural fibre yarn procurement to weavers and is helping them weave better quality natural fabrics. All these efforts culminate in making sustainable natural fabrics more accessible to the common man.