Most of the clothes we wear are made of cotton – and cotton is far from being environmentally friendly. Thankfully, there's a solution to that problem: bamboo! Bamboo is one of the most sustainable and fastest-growing plants on Earth, making it more eco-friendly to grow than cotton. Find out the differences between bamboo and cotton and learn why the bamboo fabric is better for the environment than cotton.
What is the difference between bamboo and cotton?
|
Bamboo |
Cotton |
|
Bamboo needs nothing more than sunlight and rainwater to grow. |
Cotton is the water guzzler amongst textiles! On average, 8,000 litres of water are needed to grow a single kilogram of cotton. |
|
No pesticides, insecticides or fertiliser are required to grow bamboo. |
Cotton is responsible for no less than 11% of all pesticides and 25% of all insecticides used in the world. |
|
Approximately 10 times more bamboo can be produced per square metre than can be produced using cotton plants. |
The soil cotton plants are grown in becomes so exhausted during cultivation that artificial fertiliser is required to revive them is enough to enable continued cotton production. |
|
Bamboo fibre has a rounder and smooth structure. For this reason, bamboo fabrics are wonderfully soft. |
Cotton fibres have a coarse and rough structure. |
|
Bamboo has high moisture absorption, is anti-microbial and very breathable. |
Cotton is less absorbent and breathable than bamboo. |
|
Bamboo plants are environmentally friendly, and its manufacturing process produces a far smaller carbon footprint. |
Cotton plant, on the other hand, is not as environmentally friendly as bamboo as it needs lots of water and pesticides in growing the plant. |
In short, bamboo is better for the environment than cotton in many ways. Not only is the plant itself more sustainable, but also the way it is grown and cultivated ensures that it is an environmentally friendly alternative to cotton.