Bamboo is a natural bast fiber obtained from the inner bark (also called skin or bast) of fast-growing bamboo plants. Bamboo is native to China, but it grows well in other locations and climates, with few additional requirements during cultivation. Currently, two materials are produced from bamboo – bamboo linen and bamboo viscose. Bamboo linen production can be largely mechanical, as bamboo stems can break up in water or dew, thus minimizing the environmental impact of the process. However, chemicals are often used to speed up the extraction (also called retting). Bamboo linen wrinkles easily and requires frequent and intense pressing in the use stage, with implications for both utility and domestic energy use. Bamboo viscose is produced either through the viscose/rayon process that relies on heavy use of chemicals or the lyocell process that uses non-toxic solvents and recycles most chemical inputs in a closed-loop manufacturing system. Although the fast growth of bamboo can be one solution to slowing down deforestation – a key concern linked to the production of viscose/rayon; bamboo plants can be quite invasive, and so careful land management is needed to protect the surrounding habitats.
BAMBOO
