Abstract
Bamboo fibre is a natural textile made from
the pulp of the bamboo grass.
Fabric made with Bamboo fibre has
been growing in popularity, because it has many unique properties and is more sustainable
than most textile fibres. Bamboo fabric is
light and strong, has excellent wicking properties, and is to some extent
antibacterial. The use of bamboo fibre for
clothing was a 20th century development, pioneered by several
Chinese corporations. This
review article summarizes the production process and wet processing of Bamboo
fibre. The various advantageous properties and commercial products based on
these unique properties are discussed. Some attention has been paid to the
current fashion trends of Bamboo materials.
Keywords: Bamboo fibre, Bamboo
products, Fibre production, Green &
biodegradable, Natural anti-bacteria
1. Introduction
Bamboo is the fastest growing plant in this planet and has the
ability to grow in many different climates, from
jungles to high on mountainsides. Bamboo is
just a grass, but varies in height from dwarf plant (30cm) to giant timber Bamboos
(30m). Bamboo is used as the primary construction material and for making great
variety of useful objects from kitchen tools to paper to dinnerware. Generally bamboos are commonly used for furniture,
construction, musical instruments and many more things. Bamboo is not
only highly fashionable for decorative purposes but useful too. As it is a
viable replacement for wood, in far Eastern countries, it is the primary
building material. Bamboo is in fact one of the strongest building materials
available and even provided the first re-greening in Hiroshima after the atomic
blast in 1945. The various advantage lies with bamboo has evolved it as a
suitable textile grade material.
Bamboo fibre and starchy pulps are made from bamboo that
grows widely through Asian countries. Starchy pulp is a refined product of Bamboo
stems and leaves through a process of hydrolysis-alkalization & multi-phase
bleaching and then process in chemical fibre factories into Bamboo fibre. Fabrics
made of bamboo fibres have been growing in popularity,
because it has many unique properties and is more sustainable than most textile
fibres. Bamboo fabric is light & strong and has excellent wicking
properties. Bamboo fabric is very
soft and can be worn directly next to the skin. Many people who experience
allergic reactions to other natural fibres, such as wool or hemp, do not complain of this issue with Bamboo. The fibre
is naturally smooth and round without chemical treatment, meaning that there are no
sharp spurs to irritate the
skin. Bamboo fabric is favoured by
companies trying to use sustainable textiles, because the Bamboo plant is very quick growing and does
not usually require the use of pesticides and herbicides to thrive. As a result, plantations
can easily be kept organic and replanted yearly to replenish stocks. The
process of making unbleached Bamboo fibre is very light on chemicals that could
potentially harm the environment. Bamboo
is highly water absorbent & takes up three times its weight in water. In Bamboo fabric, this translates to an excellent
wicking ability that will pull moisture away from the skin, so that it can
evaporate. Bamboo
also has many antibacterial qualities, which Bamboo fabric is
apparently able to retain, even through multiple washings, which helps in
reducing the bacteria that thrive on clothing. It can also kill odour causing
bacteria that live on human skin, making the wearer and his/her clothing smell sweeter.
In addition, Bamboo fabric has insulating properties and will keep the wearer
cooler in summer and warmer in winter. The versatility of Bamboo fabric makes it an
excellent choice for clothing designers exploring alternative textiles, and in
addition, the fabric is able to take bright dye colors well, drape smoothly,
and star in a variety of roles from knit shirts to woven skirts.
Read Full Article
About the Authors
B. R. Das is associated with the Department of Textile Technology,
Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, India and S. Hati is with Utkal
University of Culture, Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India.
