tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118400685881704441.post4302705538786262232..comments2024-03-03T20:17:53.535-06:00Comments on Is It Still MADE IN THE USA?: Organic Fabrics: Bamboo or Cotton?Is It Still Made In The USA Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10321828011150879919noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118400685881704441.post-59039235919116611692016-08-14T22:22:47.683-05:002016-08-14T22:22:47.683-05:00Hi Mo
So glad I found your reply. I have been purc...Hi Mo<br />So glad I found your reply. I have been purchasing towels and sheets from Coyuchi. But I recently bought bamboo towels from Brooklyn bamboo it says they are organic, when I researched it I freaked out knowing they were from China.<br />I sent them an email asking exactly what was from China and if they could tell me the way their products were produced from start to finish.<br />You seem to know more then the companies own customer service.<br />Do you know anything about Brooklyn Bamboo? Should I buy from somewhere else?<br />Thank you<br />Also how do you go about education to get a job like you have. I would love to have a job like yours.<br />LuluLuLuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02400874542092062177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118400685881704441.post-48658771266944935172016-08-12T14:28:01.310-05:002016-08-12T14:28:01.310-05:00Thank you for your research into bamboo fabric and...Thank you for your research into bamboo fabric and where it actually originates. I really favor bamboo fabric for its qualities- odor resistant, easy to clean, antibacterial, softness, wicking, lightness and breathability... for this reason, I really like to incorporate and prefer to use bamboo fabric in sewing baby and maternity items. However, as you mentioned in your post, the concern of treatment and production of the fabric in China is highly questionable. I wondered if any factories have since been started in the US at all, considering the demand for better and alternative organic fabric, or if you have been able to follow up or heard of other countries that produce bamboo fabric? If there are no bamboo producers in the US, what is the biggest reason?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118400685881704441.post-40912756817226498872016-02-12T11:56:14.953-06:002016-02-12T11:56:14.953-06:00Have you accomplished making printed fabric solely...Have you accomplished making printed fabric solely made in the USA? I would be interested in buying it! I am attempting to have all organic USA grown cotton, produced fabrics, and USA made clothing completely 100 percent made in the USA!katherinebrady70@yahoo.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118400685881704441.post-58367310926068008722015-10-13T23:55:20.621-05:002015-10-13T23:55:20.621-05:00Great article. And by the way if you are looking f...Great article. And by the way if you are looking for <a href="http://www.bhninternational.com/" rel="nofollow">jersey knit and non stretch fabric wholesale</a> BHN international is the best option for you. Happy to help.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07555017988902578033noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118400685881704441.post-84347081957343259872012-07-02T16:07:17.487-05:002012-07-02T16:07:17.487-05:00Thank you for your very informative post. I think ...Thank you for your very informative post. I think one of the most important aspects in terms of importing from China is the greenhouse gasses that are released from shipping the bamboo textiles to the States even before it is manufactured, never mind the fact that China isn't the greenest of countries! For a product to be truly eco friendly it should have the smallest greenhouse gas footprint as possible and so therefor one should only buy from a country in which you reside if you want to be eco!Ceciliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18409552077007690381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118400685881704441.post-46306339648075478502010-10-22T05:31:09.526-05:002010-10-22T05:31:09.526-05:00bamboo fabric is highly breathable in hot weather ...bamboo fabric is highly breathable in hot weather and also keeps you significantly warmer in the cold. Keeping you more comfortable in all temperatures - ‘Air conditioned clothing’Bamboo clotheshttp://www.douspeakgreen.in/ecofriendly-cotton-clothing.php/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118400685881704441.post-75613709109868282102008-03-19T18:25:00.000-05:002008-03-19T18:25:00.000-05:00Thanks so much for the info on bamboo. I was just ...Thanks so much for the info on bamboo. I was just going to buy some towels made with bamboo but will go Organic Cotton made in USA instead. <BR/>Am looking for USA Organic cotton fabric I can buy wholesale for my small business. After surfing the Internet for a while am much more knowledgeable of how hard it is to find but won't settle for less. Want to use and encourage others to use USA made products. So true, Buy USA or buy used. Have been boycotting Chinese products in general and Walmart in particular for years.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118400685881704441.post-75515268007210607572008-02-19T19:44:00.000-06:002008-02-19T19:44:00.000-06:00Hey, this is Mo from Bamboosa and I'd like to comm...Hey, this is Mo from Bamboosa and I'd like to comment on some of the issues that have been raised here.<BR/><BR/>Currently, all bamboo raw fiber is produced in China, as far as can be documented, and the company that produces the fiber there does hold a patent. <BR/><BR/>There is also a Japanese company that holds a patent in the US (US Patent No.7060211)and their patent covers several different manufacturing methods. To our knowledge, they are not in production as of this date.<BR/><BR/>There are two kinds of bamboo fiber; mechanically produced and chemically produced. The mechanically produced fiber is rarely seen and resembles linen. It is not the silky bamboo that everyone is marketing and selling.<BR/><BR/>The bamboo fiber that is processed using chemicals is not the horrific situation that many people seem to think it is. There are not workers in China bending over bubbling cauldrons of chemicals. The equipment used to process the bamboo fiber is modern and was designed for the specific purpose of bamboo production. While the system is not a 100% 'closed loop', it does recycle both chemicals and water.<BR/><BR/>The primary chemical used to break the plant down to cellulose is sodium hydroxide (NaOH), also known as caustic soda. Caustic soda is basically a strong baking soda and is used in thousands of applications including soap making, biodiesel production, production of chocolate, cocoa, soft drinks, ice cream and olives. Caustic soda is also used on pretty much all of the organic cotton fabric that is produced anywhere and it is also on the list of approved chemicals of the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). And, while it is a caustic and will burn if you get in on your skin or can cause respiratory damage if the fumes are directly inhaled, it is not an overly hazardous chemical when handled properly.<BR/><BR/>Even though there are chemicals used in producing the fiber, the fiber that is produced at the facility in China carries the Oeko Tex 100 certification. That certification stipulates that there are no chemicals present in the finished fiber that are harmful to human health. So, the fiber, after it is produced, is clean. <BR/><BR/>So,then what happens after the fiber is produced in China? In the case of Bamboosa, we import the fiber from China and manufacture yarn, knit fabric, dye fabric and sew apparel in South Carolina. Occasionally, we buy some yarn from China and begin our process in the US with the knitting. We do not buy any fabric from China at any time. <BR/><BR/>I would also like to mention at this point that the answer that was received from Shirts of Bamboo stating that their fabric is imported from China and sewn in the US is not totally accurate. I know this because we produce a lot of the fabric that goes into SoB's product and it is made in SC. Also, SoB also carries our baby line, BambooBaby, and that is the only baby product they carry so all of their baby products are made in the US. <BR/><BR/>Regarding labeling, and where things are made, or what part or percentage of something is made wherever, here are some facts you may not be aware of. First, if someone brings fabric in from China and sews the apparel in the US they are correct to label that product Made in the USA, according the the FTC rules on labeling. It is called 'substantial transformation'.<BR/><BR/>With the labeling of 'organic cotton', things are not necessarily what they seem there either. When a product is label 'organic cotton' the only inference is that the cotton was certified organically grown. It does not mean to say that the 'product', i.e., a 'shirt' is organic. In other words, 'organic cotton' only speaks to what happened in the 'field'. It does not speak to any downstream processes. That product could be soaked in formaldehyde and still be labeled organic cotton and be accurate. If you want assurance of some nature regarding what happened after the cotton left the field than you need to look for additional certification(s) such as GOTS or Oeko Tex 1000 or 100+, which certify processes, chemicals used, and facilities, in some degree or another.<BR/><BR/>Harmony posted a comment and noted that the 'made in' referred to where the fabric was woven. That is actually not accurate based on the FTC requirements for labeling. I won't go into the language of the requirements but as I mentioned previously, it comes down to 'substantial transformation'.<BR/><BR/>As far as bamboo, I would say this. Bamboo grows without pesticides or chemical fertilizers, rarely needs replanting, does not need irrigation, is a critical element in the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, helps with soil erosion, and is generally considered the most sustainable crop on the planet.<BR/><BR/>Yes, the process of converting the plant to fiber needs to be improved and that is happening. In the meantime, bamboo for textiles is admittedly not dark, dark green, but, it's pretty dark green when compared to any other fibers on the market, including organically grown cotton. Check on line for the water required to grow organic cotton. Also, only 7% of the world's organic cotton is grown in the US. Very few organic cotton garments are actually made in the US. <BR/><BR/>We all have to make our choices based on what matters most to the individual. If you are concerned about what is in your product, where your product was actually produced, who produced and how it was done, then buy from a company that can provide that transparency. <BR/><BR/>Thanks,<BR/><BR/>MoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118400685881704441.post-56918861877216613732008-02-17T22:03:00.000-06:002008-02-17T22:03:00.000-06:00This is a great post. I have also been finding out...This is a great post. I have also been finding out just how many companies claim made in the USA but when I email them I always ask if their product and ALL componants are made in the USA and manufactured here and you would be surprised how many are not 100%. Good job on your post.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118400685881704441.post-61642429473504944642008-02-13T22:43:00.000-06:002008-02-13T22:43:00.000-06:00Thanks for the comment and info. Please stop by ag...Thanks for the comment and info. Please stop by again.<BR/><BR/>And good luck with your quest.<BR/><BR/>ps. Contact the people at SOS from Texas...maybe they can supply you with some organic cotton fabric...or know someone who can.<BR/><BR/>It's all grown right here in TX!Is It Still Made In The USA Bloggerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10321828011150879919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8118400685881704441.post-79290330131944838392008-02-13T22:26:00.000-06:002008-02-13T22:26:00.000-06:00Thanks for your post on bamboo. You may be intere...Thanks for your post on bamboo. You may be interested to learn that the process of converting bamboo from a plant to a fiber is considered to be relatively toxic. I am surprise you are seeing "organic" bamboo... since the processing tends to keep it from qualifying as organic.<BR/><BR/>That said, I am a textile designer who is committed to expanding environmentally friendly options. I have used 2 different US printers in 3 years with varying success. The first US printer we used had horrible quality control. The fabrics we have printed in India are much better in quality. It isn't that I wanted to go overseas, I felt forced to in order to have a quality product. I am convinced that there must be an environmentally friendly printer in the US (or a plant willing to convert to such) and I haven't given up the quest, but if we want to keep manufacturing here we need manufactures that can compete on quality! <BR/><BR/>Also... one other little known fact is that when it comes to textiles the "made in" refers to where the fabric is woven, not grown. You can legally call an imported cotton that is woven/knitted in the US a Made in the USA product. Since this is obviously an important issue for you, you may want to start asking where is the cotton grown.<BR/><BR/>My goal for 2008 is to create a truly 100% made in the USA line of organic cotton printed fabrics. Wish me luck!Harmonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05263890773441226297noreply@blogger.com