Our last blog outlines some of the benefits of bamboo, which is popularly regarded as being a very “green” material. Bamboo regenerates quickly, doesn’t require a lot of water, and even puts out more oxygen than standard hardwood trees– but is there another side to this miracle plant? The Greener Good believes in helping to create informed consumers, so our answer is yes!
Although bamboo IS a sustainable resource, the production process is a liiiiittle bit less than “organic.” To become soft and pliable, bamboo fibers are soaked, pressed, and dissolved in massive quantities of toxic chemicals, namely sodium hydroxide and carbon disulfide. These chemicals release pollutants into the air, and also pose a threat to the laborers working in direct contact with them. The resulting fabric is much more similar to rayon than anything else, and garments that proudly advertise that they’re “Made of organic bamboo!” usually only have between 7-15% of the original bamboo fiber in them.
Additionally, natural forests located near bamboo plantations are sometimes bulldozed to make way for more bamboo production, and can also be unintentionally overtaken by the fast-growing grass (Surprise! It’s not a tree at all!), which chokes out the flora and fauna that have been naturally growing there for years. Because bamboo has become a hot commodity, some farmers will even replace agricultural plantations with bamboo plantations, in hopes of earning larger profits. Creating forest monocultures displaces natural plants and wildlife, and endangers the diversity of our planet.
Not all bamboo is sheer evil, though! At The Greener Good, we strive to ensure that the bamboo products sold in our store are as green as can be. Harmful chemicals like sodium hydroxide are only used in the production of “chemically manufactured” bamboo fiber. Yala, father company of our Bamboo Dreams line pictured above, manufactures their bamboo products mechanically through a really cool process that involves crushing the bamboo into mush– and is much more organic/safe/green than chemical manufacturing. Some of Yala’s items contain up to 95% bamboo fiber! Our other bamboo products, such as our bamboo toys and bamboo utensils, are not manufactured using toxic chemicals, and are as organic as possible. Don’t worry… it’s all good here at TGG!
The Greener Good 