Bamboo’s got a reputation as the sustainable darling of the textile world — but does it deserve the hype? Let’s break it down, no fluff, just facts.
The Good – Fast, Furious & Renewable
Why people love bamboo
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Grows like mad: Bamboo can grow up to a metre a day without needing fertilisers or irrigation (A).
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No replanting required: It regenerates from its roots. No tilling, no soil erosion.
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Low water use: Compared to cotton, bamboo as a plant needs way less water.
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Carbon sponge: Some bamboo species absorb more carbon than trees (B).
H2: It sounds perfect, right?
As a plant, bamboo is pretty damn amazing. It’s renewable, hardy, and grows in degraded soil. Great.
But we’re not wearing bamboo stalks. We’re talking fabric, and that’s where things get murky.
The Bad – What’s in Your Bamboo Clothing?
Most bamboo = viscose
What most labels call “bamboo” is actually bamboo viscose. That means the raw bamboo is chemically pulped using toxic solvents like carbon disulfide — a neurotoxin linked to serious health risks for workers (C).
Then it’s regenerated into fibres that are technically rayon/viscose, not bamboo anymore.
If your label says "bamboo viscose", "bamboo rayon", or just “bamboo” — it's all the same chemically-processed stuff.
Greenwashed?
Yep. Many brands market bamboo as a clean, compostable miracle fibre. But if it’s viscose? It’s not compostable. And the process pollutes if it’s not done in a closed-loop system — which is rare in China, where most bamboo viscose is made.
The Ugly – Worker Safety, Pollution & Misleading Claims
The human cost
Carbon disulfide exposure has been linked to:
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Birth defects
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Kidney and liver damage
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Mental health issues (D)
And yes — that’s from processing your undies if they’re made with bamboo viscose in a dirty factory.
The green halo effect
Bamboo’s got that clean, minimalist, Mother Earth vibe. But unless your brand tells you exactly how it’s made, assume it’s been greenwashed.
Is There a Better Bamboo?
Yes: bamboo lyocell
This uses closed-loop processing with a non-toxic solvent (NMMO). It’s the same tech used in TENCEL™, and it’s genuinely lower impact.
Problem? It’s expensive and rare. Very few brands use bamboo lyocell because it costs more.
If your label says “bamboo lyocell” — well done. That’s the good stuff.
So... Should You Avoid Bamboo?
Not necessarily. But be a smart consumer:
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✅ Look for bamboo lyocell or TENCEL™ instead
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❌ Avoid “bamboo viscose” if sustainability is your priority
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🕵️♀️ Ask your brand what chemicals are used, and how they manage effluent
At Underwear for Humanity, we don’t use bamboo viscose. We use Tencel from Eucalyptus, one of the fastest growing trees in the world. And organic cotton for our natural fibre ranges.
