Fast growing carbon capture
Even if we didn't harvest bamboo, just growing it is already a great way to fight climate change as it absorbs up to 30% more carbon than trees. However, given that we can harvest it like a crop (unlike trees), we can regularly lock away that carbon into products like fabrics, and let it keep growing and absorbing more carbon. And it's a quick process - bamboo can grow 1 metre in 24 hours, meaning we have a fast renewing source of raw materials which at the same time is capturing a lot of carbon from the atmosphere. In fact the Royal Geographical Society estimate that we could save up to 4.5% of total human greenhouse gases by 2050 by planting bamboo on all suitable degraded land.
But we also need to consider the environmental impact of how we get the bamboo fabric from the plant itself. Although some chemicals are needed to create bamboo rayon, at Mori, they use as few chemicals as possible and all are non-toxic. They also have a closed-loop process which means the chemicals are used over and over, and never enter the waste stream, keeping the manufacturing of bamboo safe for employees and the environment.
Bamboo is best for baby
Not only is bamboo a great crop to grow to combat climate change, it has some wonderful properties which make it particularly well suited to baby clothes:
- It's softer than cotton which means it won't irritate sensitive skin. It's also a fibre that gets softer the more it's washed.
- It's breathable and thermoregulating - keeping baby cool when it's hot, and warm when it's cool.
- It wicks water away from the skin, and allows it to evaporate - making sure baby stays comfortable if their clothes get wet and also your washing dries faster!
- It's antibacterial and also deodorising (which is why it's great for your socks).
- It doesn't require any fertilisers or pesticides to grow, so you can be sure there are no chemicals next to your baby's skin.