Bamboo Vs. Cotton Towels

Towels made from bamboo fiber may not be as eco-friendly as you think.

With so many people striving to lessen their carbon footprints and live "greener" lives, bamboo fabric sounds like the perfect solution. Bamboo grows freely almost anywhere, it grows so fast that it's infinitely renewable, and it can be cultivated with no chemicals whatsoever. The manufacturers of items made of bamboo cloth---especially terry-cloth towels---claim that their products are better than cotton towels because they are organic, pesticide-free, antimicrobial and biodegradable.

The Plants Themselves

Bamboo grows faster than any other plant and requires no pesticides or fertilizers. It is an adaptable plant and can grow under almost any water and soil conditions. Cotton can be grown organically (i.e., with no chemicals) or fertilized, sprayed with pesticides and bleached. Cotton plants require fertile soil and constant irrigation. Both plants grow so quickly and well that they're considered to be renewable resources.

Organic or Not?

Both plants can be grown organically---that is, using no pesticides, weed-killers, fertilizers or other chemicals. Either bamboo or cotton fibers can be certified organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Organic Program as a crop.

Processing

Cotton fiber can be carded, spun, loomed and sewn into towels without changing its essential character as a natural product. Even if it is grown with chemicals and bleached or dyed in the manufacturing process, these steps won't change its fundamental makeup. Bamboo thread is prepared by using harsh chemicals to liquefy the bamboo pulp, which is then spun into strands---a process similar to the one used to make rayon from pine trees, and one which expels pollutants into the air.

Claims

Manufacturers of bamboo towels claim that they are more absorbent than towels made of cotton and that they are antimicrobial. While it's true that raw bamboo displays these characteristics, once it has been processed it is no different from rayon. Manufacturers also claim that bamboo towels are softer than cotton towels, but in a Wall Street Journal test, testers' preferences depended on the weave and thickness of the towel more than on the fabric source. Some bamboo towel manufacturers also claim that their products are biodegradable, which is false.

Considerations

Growing bamboo is quicker and easier on the soil since it doesn't necessitate the use of any harsh chemicals. Growing cotton uses a great deal of water and releases chemicals into the soil if not grown organically. Processing cotton can be completely organic or utilize bleach and dye to tint the final product, while processing bamboo uses harsh chemicals and renders the fiber an almost completely synthetic material.

References

• Good Housekeeping: Research Institute's 2009 Discoveries
• Consumer Reports: Buzzword: Bamboo-zle
• STL Beds: Organic Cotton vs. Organic Bamboo
• Wall Street Journal: In the Bathroom, Bamboo Grows