Archive for the ‘Textile Talk’ Category

TEXTILE TALK: OH SO MOSO – SERIES 1.3

April 30, 2011

Textile Talk Series 1.3 digs deeper into the marketing and labeling of bamboo-based materials.

iStock_000014404059XSmall

In this third installment of Textile Talk: Oh So Moso, we look in Bamboo, The Market: Inter- and Intra-market demands, claims and standards

Moso vs. Cotton: Commensalism or Competition?

With bamboo’s move into the marketplace, discussion among the textile industry as to whether it would cut into the cotton market has been broached. (Cotton currently provides over 50% of all of the world’s fiber needs).

Can bamboo in time surpass cotton as the world’s major fiber crop? With a growing market of textiles and a rising interest in more sustainable alternatives, BASIC, biodynamic and organically-grown products, fibers like bamboo and cotton are more likely to successfully share the market than completely replace one another.

Continue Reading

iStock_000014404059XSmall

In this third installment of Textile Talk: Oh So Moso, we look in Bamboo, The Market: Inter- and Intra-market demands, claims and standards

Moso vs. Cotton: Commensalism or Competition?

With bamboo’s move into the marketplace, discussion among the textile industry as to whether it would cut into the cotton market has been broached. (Cotton currently provides over 50% of all of the world’s fiber needs).

Can bamboo in time surpass cotton as the world’s major fiber crop? With a growing market of textiles and a rising interest in more sustainable alternatives, BASIC, biodynamic and organically-grown products, fibers like bamboo and cotton are more likely to successfully share the market than completely replace one another.

At this stage of the game, bamboo as a fiber doesn’t show any sign of eclipsing cotton. Currently bamboo (principally used in building and alternative wood-based products) supports an international trade of approximately $2.5 billion (Hunter, 2003) whereas cotton (primarily used as a fiber crop) supports an international trade of $12 billion. Additionally, cotton is grown on 76 million acres worldwide, while China, the country which hosts the largest acreage of bamboo forests, has a total of 17.8 million acres (10.4 million acres of plantations and 7.4 million acres of natural stands in mountain regions) (Zehui, 2003). Material outputs per acre of bamboo fiber vs. cotton fiber vary widely, but if average outputs per material existed, we would have even a greater number on which to compare.

Eco-friendly marketing

Bamboo rayon is not a new material. Philipp Lichtenstadt officially patented the rayon processing for bamboo in 1864 (US Patent & Trademark Office). However, it took nearly 140 years for it to make its first significant commercial appearance in the marketplace. Since its launch in 2004, bamboo-based materials have been touted as “eco-friendly.” This may have been in response to numerous retailers and manufacturers requesting environmentally-preferable materials for their collections, as a way to differentiate from the trend of organic cotton in the market.

As the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) has noted, “Environmental marketing claims [in the apparel sector] have expanded significantly over the last decade as more and more companies have woven environmental and sustainability practices and goals into their businesses and down to their bottom line (AAFA letter to FTC, Dec 10, 2010).” Manufacturers of materials have responded to this demand and will quite often market materials or certain attributes of specific materials as “environmentally-friendly.”

During the first half of 2004, the marketing of “bamboo” fiber became very popular in the apparel and home textile market. The vast majority of the material produced was bamboo rayon and later bamboo rayon-cotton blends. However, due to heavy green marketing claims and lack of awareness, most material was labeled simply as “bamboo.”

In 2006, roughly $10 million worth of bamboo textiles were sold in the U.S. and $50 million worth worldwide.

Many fashion and athletic apparel companies, particularly those that subscribed to ecologically-conscious principles, became early adopters of the material and pretty soon the market was flooded with jackets, jerseys, robes, and dresses made from the woody grass. In 2006, roughly $10 million worth of bamboo textiles were sold in the U.S. and $50 million worth worldwide (Durst, 2006). The material was popularly touted as “antimicrobial,” “natural,” and “renewable” with very little backup or description to those claims.

This lack of transparency around bamboo fiber production combined with the increased promotion of eco-friendly claims in the industry spurred controversy and in 2009 the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) began questioning both the fabric labeling and the environmental claims. In August of 2009 the FTC published a consumer alert and six months later issued warnings to 78 retailers and manufacturers of bamboo so that they could take corrective action on labeling and advertising. The letters were additionally accompanied by information that the mislabeling was a violation of the FTC Act and by not taking a course correction, each violation would cost companies $16,000 per violation.

improper_labeling

An example of improper labeling of bamboo-based clothing

proper_labeling

An example of proper labeling of bamboo-based clothing

This labeling controversy spurred FTC to revisit their “Green Guide,” which was a standard guide for use of environmental marketing claims released ten years prior.

All this being said, bamboo is not without its benefits. As a raw material, it often requires little or no pesticide application due to its fast-growing nature. It does not require replanting since it is a perennial species, and like many plants – has a natural resistance to some pests. Because of that, it is often considered superior to natural (non-synthetic) fibers like conventional cotton, which requires pesticides, chemical defoliants and quite a bit of water.

However, unlike natural vegetal fibers like organic cotton, hemp and linen, the commercially viable fiber of bamboo (bamboo rayon), which has been the topic of discussion here, is currently not directly derived from the plant. Since bamboo is a cellulosic fiber, it needs to be broken down through a rayon or viscose process (as outlined in Series 1.2) and revisited again in a future interactive series.*

Designers considering using bamboo-based materials or purchasing bamboo-based materials from Source4Style for use in their collections should note whether they are purchasing bamboo rayon or bamboo linen, and label appropriately.  Be aware of the current FTC guidelines and do not overstate environmental claims, and when possible, probe a bit deeper with suppliers to understand the socio-cultural and environmental policies in raw material production, cultivation and processing.

*This concludes our three-part series of Textile Talk on Oh So MOSO. You can read the Introduction here, Series 1.1 here and Series 1.2 here. Tune in here for more information on an interactive series/discussion on bamboo materials, marketing and market demands.


Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Textile Talk | No Comments »

TEXTILE TALK: OH SO MOSO – SERIES 1.2

April 22, 2011

Textile Talk Series 1.2 takes a closer look at the technical properties and textile challenges of bamboo-based fabric.

iStock_000010532809XSmall

Bamboo as Textile: Challenges, Quality, Processing and Technical Properties. See what’s in store in the coming weeks here.

What designers need to know about bamboo

All fabrics are not created equally.

Take bamboo fiber as an example. Before the 2009 FTC bamboo backlash, the fabric, (which was principally being sold in bamboo viscose form), was being marketed in most cases as “bacteriostatic, biodegradable, natural, hypoallergenic and breathable.” Before getting into some of the descriptors, however, let’s talk about the processing techniques.

There still is some discrepancy and misunderstanding on how bamboo (Phyllostachys heterocycla pubescens), the plant, is processed into a fiber or fabric. This has been due to unclear processing techniques and in some cases – “proprietary processing” muddled with snappy marketing leftovers circa 2008. Bamboo is largely processed as a regenerated cellulosic rayon fiber (Figure 1), which uses solvents and other chemicals to break down and bleach the woody fiber. A less common, more costly practice is a mechanical process combined with enzymes that create bamboo linen (Figure 2), which has fabric properties more akin to a traditional bast fiber like flax or hemp.

Continue Reading

iStock_000010532809XSmall

Bamboo as Textile: Challenges, Quality, Processing and Technical Properties. See what’s in store in the coming weeks here.

What designers need to know about bamboo

All fabrics are not created equally.

Take bamboo fiber as an example. Before the 2009 FTC bamboo backlash, the fabric, (which was principally being sold in bamboo viscose form), was being marketed in most cases as “bacteriostatic, biodegradable, natural, hypoallergenic and breathable.” Before getting into some of the descriptors, however, let’s talk about the processing techniques.

There still is some discrepancy and misunderstanding on how bamboo (Phyllostachys heterocycla pubescens), the plant, is processed into a fiber or fabric. This has been due to unclear processing techniques and in some cases – “proprietary processing” muddled with snappy marketing leftovers circa 2008. Bamboo is largely processed as a regenerated cellulosic rayon fiber (Figure 1), which uses solvents and other chemicals to break down and bleach the woody fiber. A less common, more costly practice is a mechanical process combined with enzymes that create bamboo linen (Figure 2), which has fabric properties more akin to a traditional bast fiber like flax or hemp.

rayon fibers

Figure 1. Photomicrograph of rayon fibers. A close inspection of rayon fibers reveals fibers with a smoother surface to it’s bamboo linen counterpart, which is mechanically processed. (Wet mount, 10x objective, transmitted brightfield illumination).

linen fiber

Figure 2. Photomicrograph of linen fibers. Fibers are ripped apart to obtain fiber for textiles and are broken down enzymatically. Cell walls are still visible. (Wet mount, 10x objective, transmitted brightfield illumination).

Rayon processing, though chemical in nature, has improved over the years. It has been documented that some manufacturers use a lyocell-type process (closed-loop rayon processing in which chemicals are recycled), but closer analysis needs to be assessed for each manufacturer. Additionally, it is important to consider that the facility has appropriate wastewater treatment facilities and worker health and safety standards.

There has been some discrepancy on how bamboo is processed…due to unclear processing techniques…muddled with snappy marketing leftovers circa 2008.

If you sell clothing, linens, or other textile products,  you’re responsible for making truthful disclosures about the fiber content. If your product isn’t made directly of bamboo fiber (i.e., bamboo linen) — but is a manufactured fiber for which bamboo was the plant source (i.e., rayon or viscose) — it should be labeled and advertised using the proper generic name for the fiber, such as “rayon”, “bamboo rayon” or “rayon made from bamboo.”

What’s so technical about it?

Bamboo’s natural porosity as a plant has given it a unique ability to absorb and wick away moisture. Multiple testing laboratories, both international and abroad, show positive results, though it is important to note that these tests will vary on how fabric is manufactured and processed. We encourage suppliers and designers to run independent third-party tests on moisture-vapor transmission and other performance features.

Bamboo as a bactericide?

One of the popular properties in bamboo-based fabric that designers and manufacturers alike were praising was an undisclosed “antimicrobial agent,” often referred to as “bamboo kun.” It is largely known now that after rayon processing all bacteriostatic activity is no longer present.

For years, however, the hunt for the mysterious “bamboo kun” was on. Internet sites praised its properties but no one questioned what it actually was or where it came from. In bamboo plant extract studies, 2,6-dimethoxy-p-benzoquinone was isolated and identified. This is most likely the bactericide colloquially known as “bamboo kun.” This particular quinone is clearly naturally-occurring in the plant prior to processing. Various sources show evidence that if bamboo is burned into charcoal and spun into the rayon fiber during final processing, the antimicrobial properties are still retained, but further studies are encouraged to confirm those reports.*

It is unclear but the quinone may be the reason why some still tout bamboo fabric as “hypoallergenic.” If this is the case, it is not advisable to promote bamboo fabric as such considering that the benzoquinone derivative has been shown to cause allergic skin reactions in guinea pigs and humans. Though there have been no reported incidences regarding allergies to bamboo-based clothes and only 2% to 5% of the population will develop an allergic sensitivity to one or more compounds found in plants, effects of the chemical on the body should be taken into account if shown to be present.

*Note: Antimicrobial properties, if they are to be used as a marketing angle, should be validated by a certified, independent third party testing facility.

Tune in next Friday, April 29th for Oh So MOSO Series 1.3: The Market – Inter- and Intra-market demands, claims and standards. See what’s in store in the coming weeks here.

And let us know if you’d like for us to set up a group webinar on this Series of Textile Talk: Oh So Moso.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in FTC Guidelines, Textile Talk | No Comments »

TEXTILE TALK: OH SO MOSO – Series 1.1

April 15, 2011

Textile Talk Series 1.1 gets to the bottom of bamboo and sustainable development

iStock_000014443140XSmall

Bamboo’s Big Picture: Use, Forest Management and Sustainable Economic Development. See what’s in store in the coming weeks here.

Moso’s quick growth and versatility have brought it into the international spotlight. Within the last decade, international agencies put Moso as a “high priority” plant for research after acknowledgement of its commercial value and that resources for scientific study are severely limited.

Hailed as the most important bamboo species in China as well as the third most important plant species for timber production, Moso has become big business. The Chinese government has moved to increase the acreage of the plant to address both consumer demand and timber resource deficiency.

The increase in forest area is not necessarily ecologically benign. Mixed Moso forests are often converted to pure Moso plantations (homogenous stands of bamboo). Compared to a pure Moso plantation, traditionally mixed forest trees grown on sloping mountain areas where felling (cutting of trees) results in soil erosion. Standard management techniques for plantations consist of two brush cuttings per year to clear the forest floor and topsoil tillage every one or two years. This can result in both soil erosion and a rapid depletion of soil nutrients in which the area must be eventually fertilized to avoid deterioration, though that is not at all ecologically or economically feasible. Plantations that employ better sustainable management and harvesting techniques to maximize efficiency and minimize eventual ecological degradation should be encouraged. Continue Reading

iStock_000014443140XSmall

Bamboo’s Big Picture: Use, Forest Management and Sustainable Economic Development. See what’s in store in the coming weeks here.

Moso’s quick growth and versatility have brought it into the international spotlight. Within the last decade, international agencies put Moso as a “high priority” plant for research after acknowledgement of its commercial value and that resources for scientific study are severely limited.

Hailed as the most important bamboo species in China as well as the third most important plant species for timber production, Moso has become big business. The Chinese government has moved to increase the acreage of the plant to address both consumer demand and timber resource deficiency.

The increase in forest area is not necessarily ecologically benign. Mixed Moso forests are often converted to pure Moso plantations (homogenous stands of bamboo). Compared to a pure Moso plantation, traditionally mixed forest trees grown on sloping mountain areas where felling (cutting of trees) results in soil erosion. Standard management techniques for plantations consist of two brush cuttings per year to clear the forest floor and topsoil tillage every one or two years. This can result in both soil erosion and a rapid depletion of soil nutrients in which the area must be eventually fertilized to avoid deterioration, though that is not at all ecologically or economically feasible. Plantations that employ better sustainable management and harvesting techniques to maximize efficiency and minimize eventual ecological degradation should be encouraged.

Moso’s “eco-friendly” positioning in the market has been centered on its properties as:

- A natural (nonsynthetic) fiber

- A quick growth plant (it is a grass after all), and

- A “renewable” plant after its three to five year harvesting period.

(Oh So Moso – Series 1.3 will discuss Moso’s eco-friendly positioning in the market).

iStock_000000588413Medium

The China-India Entente

Trade in bamboo-based products in developing nations like China and India is being positioned as a sustainable development strategy for rural communities. The Philippines, Republic of Korea, Malaysia and even some African nations have also begun looking to bamboo as both a cash crop and a means to alleviate areas that have been overlogged.

Whether this becomes a viable tactic is highly questionable. Poor management will result in degradation. Fair labor standards and practices while harvesting the plant are largely undisclosed or at least not entirely transparent. Much of the bamboo currently used is harvested by those living at or below subsistence level and mainly by women and children.

Bamboo is the single most important forest product used by the rural communities in several countries of the Asia-Pacific region. It is also an important source of cash income for the rural poor. Bamboo is a labor-intensive, multipurpose commodity. This is particularly why bamboo-based development can lead to the creation of new jobs and income generation, especially for women in rural communities.

China is by far the largest supplier, producer and manufacturer of bamboo-based products, a vertically-integrated system that has been building steam for nearly two decades. In a research report from the Economist Intelligence Unit, China is predicted to close the gap in economic size with the U.S. by 2020. Labor-intensive production, such as bamboo extraction and manufacturing, will continue to shift to low cost labor, though average wages are not expected to rise dramatically.

With the second largest reserve of bamboo after China, India has also recently become interested in the plant’s economic promise, referring to it as the new “green gold.” The Indian government has plans for implementation of a $115 million project that will promote bamboo cultivation and trade through a National Mission on Bamboo Trade and Technology Development. Currently India takes advantage of only 1/10 of its bamboo producing potential. Maximizing production of bamboo in India was expected to create eight million jobs and lift five million families out of poverty and earn $3.6 billion in 2007, though recent numbers have not been found to be verified. Projections are expected to reach $5.7 billion by 2015.

These numbers remain optimistic reports and the reference to “green” gold is speculative. The vital method to channel the raw material to a finished product and into an end user market is still considered largely absent. Current reports show the person extracting the plant only gets 20% of the cost, 19% is given to the trade commission, and 61% goes directly to transportation. Additionally, most bamboo in India is being extracted from at least 60-70% of protected forest areas.

Tune in next Friday, April 22nd for Oh So MOSO Series 1.2: The Textile – Challenges, Quality, Processing, and Technical Properties. See what’s in store in the coming weeks here.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Textile Talk | 1 Comment »

Textile Talk: Oh so Moso

April 15, 2011

Source4Style highlights a "Textile Talk" three-part series on the business behind bamboo.

iStock_000015688254Small

Welcome to “Textile Talk” – a series of blog posts that take an in-depth look into textiles beyond the market hype. By coupling on-the-ground interviews with multidisciplinary research, S4 uncovers what sustainability really means when it comes to clothes.

This month is devoted to a 3-part series on bamboo fiber.

It’s known as Phyllostachys heterocycla pubescens to the nerds, Moso to the hipsters, Mao Zhu to the showoffs, and “hairy bamboo” to the smart asses, but to the conscious clotheshorses, bamboo was being hailed as one of the finest sustainable fibers on the market. With more than 2.5 billion people eating, sleeping, sitting, wearing and doing who knows what else with bamboo, it is no wonder why it had quickly become the Clark Kent-turns-Superman of the green world.

From designers taking a “weave-it or leave it” philosophy to entire nations praising it as the next “green gold,” it is no surprise that bamboo has shed its sobriquet of “poor man’s timber.” Some garmentos were even claiming that it would take over the textile industry as the #1 fiber (watch out cotton!) When something this big enters the green scene, scientific scrutiny can be as crippling as Kryptonite.

Continue Reading

iStock_000015688254Small

Welcome to “Textile Talk” – a series of blog posts that take an in-depth look into textiles beyond the market hype. By coupling on-the-ground interviews with multidisciplinary research, S4 uncovers what sustainability really means when it comes to clothes.

This month is devoted to a 3-part series on bamboo fiber.

It’s known as Phyllostachys heterocycla pubescens to the nerds, Moso to the hipsters, Mao Zhu to the showoffs, and “hairy bamboo” to the smart asses, but to the conscious clotheshorses, bamboo was being hailed as one of the finest sustainable fibers on the market. With more than 2.5 billion people eating, sleeping, sitting, wearing and doing who knows what else with bamboo, it is no wonder why it had quickly become the Clark Kent-turns-Superman of the green world.

From designers taking a “weave-it or leave it” philosophy to entire nations praising it as the next “green gold,” it is no surprise that bamboo has shed its sobriquet of “poor man’s timber.” Some garmentos were even claiming that it would take over the textile industry as the #1 fiber (watch out cotton!) When something this big enters the green scene, scientific scrutiny can be as crippling as Kryptonite.

Bamboo provides vital biological and ecological functions that extend into the economic and cultural fabric for many people in the developing world. Being able to define what sustainability is to a designer or what sustainability is to whole communities without undermining cultural and moral values is going to be a true challenge. How we define and market “sustainability” for design lines or trade talks will surprisingly find us asking the same types of questions. After all, if sustainable design and sustainable development is really the humble goal and not just hype, then we need to listen to the science over the deafening bombination of green buzz.

S4 prefaces these queries by delving deeper into the issues in this three part series on MOSO.

Every Friday at 3PM we’ll launch a new part to the series.

Series 1.1 will address the “Big Picture” by covering bamboo use, forest management and sustainable economic development (April 15, 3PM EST).

Series 1.2 takes bamboo down to a design level. Topics will include: textile challenges, quality, processing, and technical properties (April 22, 3PM EST).

Series 1.3 will demonstrate more clearly how the macrolevel converges with consumer market trends, introducting inter- and intra-market demands, marketing claims and standards. Plus: A photo bonus feature showcasing how the textile has been used in design (April 29, 3PM EST).

If you have any questions about bamboo fiber, be sure to tune in here and send your questions our way. If there is sufficient interest, we’ll do a 30-minute informative and interactive live-streaming session on Friday (May 6, 2011).

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Ask Source4Style, FTC Guidelines, Textile Talk | 7 Comments »