Bamboo Shirts?

I must admit, some interesting visions came to mind when I first heard the phrase ‘bamboo shirts’. I imagined something resemling a cross between slat blinds and ancient Japanese armour!

Needless to say I was quite surprised when I visited Shirts of Bamboo and found very normal looking clothing.

According to the site, bamboo clothing is actually softer than the softest cotton, having a texture similar to silk or cashmere. Not exactly what you might expect given the appearance of the plant itself!

So why bamboo?
This large member of the grass family has been listed by The Guiness Book of World Records as the fastest growing plant in the world (some species growing as much as 3 feet in a single day) – apparently 1/3 faster than the fastest growing tree. Plants can reach maturity in about 3 years, thus making it quite sustainable. It is also biodegradeable, so feel free to toss your old bamboo clothes in the compost bin when you are finished with them!

Some of its other benefits as a fiber include breathability, quick drying, and antibacterial qualities (referred to as “bamboo kuhn”).

Shirts of Bamboo offers a selection of shirts (surprise surprise!), towels, sheets, pants, yarn and more. Be sure to check them out!

Written by Bentley on August 15th, 2006 with 1 comment.
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