Information about Bamboo fibers for textiles: Research & Regulations Catch up with “Bamboo” Textiles
Research & Regulations Catch up with “Bamboo” Textiles By Diana A. Wyman
The article above was recommended to me by J. Michael Quante
through the Apparel and Textiles Professional Network on LinkedIn.
There has been some controversy within the industry about what should be considered a Bamboo product. The US Federal Trade Commission has refined the regulations on how Bamboo products should be labeled.
Many of the items that have been labeled “bamboo” in recent years have actually been regenerated cellulose fibers. Although the original plant contributing the cellulose fiber may have been a bamboo plant, it has been treated, filtered and extruded to the point that they no longer have the qualities of a bamboo plant.
The viscose process was developed in 1892 by Charles F Cross and Edward J. Bevan (Hatch, 184). The process has been tweaked and perfected in the years passed. During the Viscose process the raw materials are seeped with an alkali solution until they become a soda or alkali cellulose. The new white colored alkali cellulose is shredded into “cellulose crumbs” and aged (Joseph, 72).
The next step in the viscose process includes treatment with carbon disulfide and reacts to create a bright orange product called sodium cellulose xanthate. The sodium cellulose xanthate is dissolved in dilute sodium hydroxide and forms a honey colored liquid. The solution is aged again, until it reaches the “proper viscosity” or consistency.
In the last stages of the viscose process the solution is pumped to spinning tanks where it is forced through spinnerets, and then into an acid bath. “The acid bath reacts with the solution causing pure cellulose to coagulate into filament fibers”. These filaments can later be combed and spun into yarns (Joseph, 75).
After the chemically loaded viscose process, the raw material is no longer the woody plant that provided the original cellulose. If any woody plant, including bamboo is drawn into thread using the rayon/viscose method, must be labeled as rayon or viscose.
There is still discussion as to weather a label of “rayon made from bamboo” will be adequate. In order for this label to be used it must be proven that the textile is indeed made from Bamboo fibers. After it has gone through the viscose fiber, it is not easy to identify what woody plant provided the original cellulose material.
Check out the article by Diana A. Wymath for more information about the harvesting, unique qualities, and advantages of Bamboo textiles.
Works Cited
Hatch, Kathryn L. Textile Science. Revised ed. Apex: Tailored Text Custom, NC. Print.
Joseph, Marjory L. Introductory Textile Science. United States of America: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1966. Print.
Wyman, Diana A. “Research and Regulations Catch up with “Bamboo” Textiles.” AATCC News: A Newsletter for Textile Design, Materials and Processing Professtionals (Sept. 2009). AATCC News Story. American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists: The International Association for Textile Professionals, Sept. 2009. Web. 19 Sept. 2009. .
