Bamboo fabrics are used by Brenda Laine Designs, to create high-quality garments that are well constructed, classic designs, and always 'in style'. By creating bamboo clothing, we have been able to achieve our mission to use fabrics that are eco-friendly and meet the highest standards required for global and international certification. We also buy our bamboo fabrics from environmentally conscious manufacturers who produce fabrics that are tested for safety and are skin-friendly.
Why We Choose Bamboo Fabrics
Plant Characteristics
Bamboo fabrics can be used in the same ways as cotton. However, bamboo has a number of characteristics as a plant that make it quite desirable as a material for fabric. For example, bamboo can grow very fast without any special care or cultivation. In fact, it is the fastest-growing plant on Earth - the Chinese Moso bamboo can grow almost a metre in a single day. Bamboo can also grow in areas with poor soil that are not suitable for other crops. As a result, its cultivation has minimal impact on the environment. However, it's up to each bamboo cultivator to grow it in a sustainable manner (i.e. cultivators should not destroy forests or cultivate it on land where food crops could be grown).
The Characteristics of Bamboo Fabric
Bamboo fabric is made from bamboo pulp. Bamboo fibre is separated into very fine threads that are then spun and dyed in order to be weaved into yarn or fabric. It is very similar to the texture of silk in terms of softness and smoothness because bamboo fibres are not treated with chemicals, as a result, bamboo is a naturally smoother fabric without any sharp spurs to irritate your skin.
The Benefits of Bamboo Fabric
Superior Moisture Wicking
One important characteristic of bamboo fibres is that they are naturally absorbent, in fact, they can absorb three times their weight in water. This means that bamboo fabric can wick away moisture from your skin up to four times faster than cotton. As a result, moisture evaporates faster, leaving your skin dry. With summer just around the corner, bamboo garments can help keep you dry.
Amazing Insulation Properties
Bamboo threads are also smooth outside and hollow inside. This characteristic makes bamboo fabrics thermoregulating - your bamboo clothes will maintain your body temperature stable or at a more even temperature. So, in the summer you feel cool and in the winter your body is kept warm. What’s more, bamboo fibres also have micro-gaps or micro-holes that act as ventilation. Since bamboo clothes are naturally ventilated, your clothes remain fresher and do not retain odours.
Antibacterial and Hypoallergic
Another significant benefit of bamboo is its natural antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. Bamboo’s ability to thrive without the use of pesticides and fertilizers is a result of a bio-agent called “Bamboo Kun.” This bio-agent prevents the growth of bacteria on the fiber. Fortunately, this property remains when bamboo is transformed into textiles and eliminates the need to use anti-microbial chemical treatment in the bamboo textile manufacturing process which can cause allergic reactions for some people and is environmentally toxic.
Due to Bamboo Kun, bamboo clothing has the ability to resist odour-causing bacteria and keep your clothes fresher and odour free longer. This can also mean that you won’t have to wash your clothes as much as cotton fabrics - it may sound a little strange but washing our clothes actually causes more environmental damage than the clothing manufacturing process!
Protection Against UV Radiation
Canadians, especially British Columbia residents, enjoy spending a great deal of time outdoors so we know that our choice of clothing can offer us a range of protection from the harmful UV rays of the sun just like skin sunscreen creams or sprays. There is actually a UV protection factor for clothes called Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF). According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, a UPF 50 fabric blocks 98 percent of UV rays, only allowing two percent (1/50th) to penetrate the fabric. Bamboo provides natural UV protection from UPF 20 to UPF 50+, making it an ideal fabric to wear for prolonged exposure to sunlight.
Durability
As eco-friendly consumers, we want to buy clothing that is timeless and durable. Brenda Laine Designs bamboo clothing satisfies these criteria since our fabrics are extremely colourfast, which means that their colours won’t fade easily even after multiple washings. They also hold their shape and strength three times longer than cotton fabrics which makes them ideal for our active outdoor lifestyle. Your bamboo jackets, tunics, dresses, or culottes will last longer which translates into savings for you and less harm to the environment.
Another property of bamboo fabrics, which I am sure most women who spend hours washing and ironing clothes each month will appreciate, is that bamboo fabrics are wrinkle-resistant and very low maintenance. Our bamboo clothing has very simple and easy care instructions. Most of our bamboo garments are machine washable in cool or warm water and can be tumble dried at low heat, or if you prefer, you can hang dry them which is the most environmentally-friendly alternative. There’s no need for you to hand wash, dry clean, or use fabric softeners with our bamboo garments.
Biodegradable
Bamboo clothing is made from natural plant fibres which means that it is biodegradable and will decompose without harming our environment. On the other hand, synthetic fabrics like rayon, nylon, or polyester are created using petroleum-based chemicals. These fabrics can take centuries to decompose and end up filling our landfills, and when they do decompose, the petrochemicals can poison our water.
Brenda Laine Designs - Bamboo Garments
Experience the benefits of bamboo clothing for yourself, shop for women’s sustainable bamboo clothing at Brenda Laine Designs today. Our collection of classically styled pieces is handcrafted with attention to fine fit and detail, and created to fit perfectly all sizes from small to plus. Our bamboo garments are designed to provide a comfortable fit, with tailoring and elegance that can be worn day to day, to the office, or out to dinner. For a casual, elegant look in sustainable and organic bamboo fabrics that are machine washable, shop now at our online store. For more information about our line of women’s bamboo clothing, contact us online or call us at 250-701-3967.