Bamboo

You’ll be getting some bamboo soon or you’ve already got some. No, not in your backyard, silly. I mean in your towels and sheets, and lots of other fabrics. That’s right. They aren’t just using bamboo to feed panda bears; they’re available in linens that are sold in bed and bath stores because they make our linens stronger.

Believe it or not, bamboo is very much like cotton before it’s processed even though bamboo is actually a form of grass. It does seem funny that lots of people may be wearing grass around soon (and it’s not in a Cheech and Chong movie).

Here are some very interesting facts about the bamboo plant:

• Bamboo is the fastest growing plant in the world. This means you don’t’ have to feel guilty about cutting one down. As soon as you’ve cut it down, it’s already growing back. This is because bamboo can be harvested without killing the plant. So after the bamboo has been cut down and hauled away, it will continue to grow.
• The part of the bamboo that grows within the ground is edible. But don’t start munching on any bamboo because the shoots of the larger species of bamboo contain cyanide.
• It can treat infections. There are people who believe that the part of the bamboo that grows beneath the ground can be used for treating infections. In fact, in certain parts of Asia, it’s kept around the house for just that.
• It can be a building product. In some regions of the world, people build their houses out of bamboo.

But you’re still probably wondering why fabric manufacturers are using bamboo today. Well, there are many reasons. Here are a few of them:

• Bamboo is softer than cotton. In fact, many people equate bamboo to silk because it’s very similar to silk.
• Fabric made with bamboo absorbs moisture. That’s because the material made with bamboo is very porous and therefore it can absorb moisture. Some people are saying we need to start making diapers out of bamboo.
• As a fiber, bamboo doesn’t cause allergic reactions as many other fibrous products do.
• Materials made of bamboo are naturally antibacterial. Fabrics made of bamboo tend to stay fresh-smelling.
• Bamboo doesn’t wrinkle. To make it so cotton doesn’t wrinkle, manufacturers need to add formaldehyde to the material. This is not so with bamboo because fabrics made of bamboo automatically are resistant to wrinkling.
• Bamboo fabrics naturally repel bed bugs and dust mites. This also means that the bamboo growers don’t need to use pesticides. Cotton, on the other hand, requires the use of pesticides. This means that fabric made of bamboo is truly cleaner.
• Fabrics of bamboo reduce the bacteria that grows on people’s skin.
• Bamboo material products you from ultraviolet rays.
• Bamboo fibers are strong. Lots of people are enjoying fabrics made of bamboo because they’re stronger and resist ripping.

You’ll be seeing lots of new towels and sheets in bed and bath stores, not to mention clothing that contain bamboo. I’ve felt some of the linens and they are very soft to the touch. Give’em a try. I am.