Bamboo Textiles

Most of the clothes we sell are made of bamboo, a fabric we fell in love with a long time ago for its sustainability, softness and durability.

Where it comes from

Bamboo for textile production is almost exclusively grown in China and Taiwan. The type used is Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens), a tropical grass, and not the kind pandas eat. Moso is grown mainly on family-owned farms covering over seven million acres in China, so no tropical forest is cleared to produce it.

Growing it takes far less water than cotton. It doesn't need good arable land, which frees that up for food production, and it doesn't need pesticides thanks to the natural resilience of the plant.

What it's like to wear

- Naturally soft, softer than the softest cotton, with a natural sheen like silk or cashmere. It drapes like silk or satin but is less expensive and more durable. Bamboo and organic cotton blends are also very soft, though heavier in weight.

- Kind to sensitive skin. The naturally smooth fibre is non-irritating, which suits people with skin sensitivities, allergies or dermatitis. Some people can still react to chemicals used in manufacturing, depending on the process.

- Thermal regulating, so it keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer.

- Highly absorbent. A cross-section of bamboo fibre shows micro-holes that absorb and evaporate sweat quickly. The fibre is around four times more absorbent than cotton.

- Breathable and quick to wick, which is why it resists clinging in hot weather and makes it a good choice for exercise or yoga. Some gyms now forgo lycra in favour of bamboo.

There are also studies suggesting bamboo's natural anti-bacterial properties survive processing into a textile, but reports conflict, so take that one with a grain of salt.

The processing question

Turning bamboo into a textile has been a subject of some controversy, as most commercial production involves chemical processing to make a viable viscose fabric. We've thought about and discussed this here at Karavan. While we'll always advocate for more eco-friendly processing methods, we believe the benefits of the growing process, where bamboo beats cotton hands down, outweigh the negatives of manufacturing. We'll keep talking to our suppliers and pushing for more sustainable methods, and we think the more prevalent bamboo becomes as a textile, the greater the likelihood of improvements across the whole process.

Caring for bamboo

Caring for bamboo is as easy as cotton, if not easier. A cool machine wash with standard or delicate laundry products is fine. We recommend against fabric conditioner. It won't do any harm, but bamboo stays naturally soft wash after wash without it, and prolonged use can affect the absorbency of the material. Do not tumble dry.