Bamboo Baby Clothes vs. Traditional Fabrics - Peregrine Kidswear

Bamboo Baby Clothes vs. Traditional Fabrics: Making Informed Choices for Your Little One

 

Bamboo pajamas and bamboo clothes for babies have become all the rage with people looking for comfortable and sustainable baby and children's pajamas. Is bamboo clothing better than cotton? 

Bamboo fabric is made from processed bamboo pulp. It has been gaining popularity because of the abundance and sustainability of naturally growing bamboo. Cotton has been the material of choice for a very long time, especially in warmer climates, and everyone is familiar with the benefits of cotton fabric. Bamboo, on the other hand, is a relatively new fiber and not as many people are familiar with the experience of wearing bamboo clothing.

There are many questions about bamboo fabric, like if it is a safe and sustainable fabric, and how it differs from cotton. Read on to discover more!

Cotton vs. Bamboo: Cotton an extremely popular textile around the world, coming in second only to polyester.Because the cotton plant is a natural and renewable resource, cotton ranks high on the list of eco-friendly and safe fabric options. Most cotton is not farmed in an eco-friendly way, however, requiring chemical fertilizers, insecticides and fungicides. Additionally, chlorine, surfectants and heavy metals are often used in the finishing stages of cotton textile production.

GOTS Certified Organic Cotton: The Global Organic Textile Standard is an internationally recognized leader in in organic fiber standards. Certified products go through strict regulation for social and environmental responsibility. GOTS monitors the entire production cycle to ensure transparency, so you can feel confident GOTS certified cotton is safe for you and your children.

Cotton clothing is beloved for the following properties:

Hypoallegenic: Cotton clothing is gentle and comfortable on skin and does not trigger sensitivity.

Environmentally Friendly: Organic cotton is a sustainable and natural fiber that's biodegradable.

Durable low maintenence: Cotton fibers can be washed and dried easily and the fabric becomes softer with every wash. The washability is especially important for children's pajamas and children's clothing.

Bamboo Fabric: Bamboo fabric is made by processing the bamboo plant into a textile. Because bamboo is a naturally abundant resource and a rapidly growing plant that requires few to no chemicals, it's an excellent choice for an eco-friendly textile.

How is it made? Bamboo fabric can be made 2 ways: chemically or mechanically. 

The first stage of the process is to break the bamboo down into pulp. This can be done manually, which is more labor intensive and expensive, or chemically. The fibers are then combed out and spun in a process similar to hemp and linen.

Which process is safer for the environment? Manually processed bamboo is safer for the environment. When produced this way, bamboo is one of the most eco-friendly materials. 

Are bamboo clothes good for babies? Bamboo cotton baby clothes are some of the most comfortable and desirable baby clothes and baby pajamas. The main advantages of bamboo are:

Soft and strong: bamboo fabric is silky soft to the touch with a smooth texture. This makes it ideal for baby's sensitive skin. When properly cared for, bamboo is also more durable and holds it's shape longer than cotton. 

Antibacterial: This is a natural property of the bamboo plant due to a naturally occuring bio-agent called Bamboo Kun in the plant. THis allows bamboo plants to flourish without the use of pesticides, and it remains in the bamboo textile to provide the same benefit.

Hypoallergenic: Bamboo is an excellent choice for babies and children with senstive skin or allergies to other natural fibers.

Thermo-regulating: Bamboo fabric is breathable and allows your baby to stay warm in the cold or keep cool on a hot day.

Extra Absorbent: Bamboo fabric is 40% more absorbent than cotton fibers.It can absorb 3 times it's weight in water, which helps wick moisture away from baby's skin and keep them comfortable.

What are the disadvantages of bamboo: The bamboo plant can be considered invasive, which means when it's grown outside it's natural habitat it can overtake native species.

Bamboo fabric can shrink more than cotton fibers when exposed to heat. It can also wrinkly more than comparable cotton fabric.

What to choose for your children's pajamas?

Both bamboo baby pajamas and organic cotton baby pajamas offer compelling benefits! Both offer breathable, comfortable options for babies and kids. Organic cotton offers durability, softness and absorbancy. and Bamboo has the extra benefit of silky softness and thermo-regulation. When buying bamboo, look for high quality, mechanically produced materials. When buying cotton, seek out GOTS certified fabrics.

 

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