Bamboo Fabric - Eco-Friendly? Healthy? Guess not. :(

[luminesce]

Ugh. While looking for a supplier of bamboo fabric, I have realized that bamboo fabric is essentially rayon complete with all the chemical yuck. I thought others might be interested in reading this article - I had no idea!

http://organicclothing.blogs.com/my_...-facts-be.html

"Most bamboo fabric that is the current eco-fashion rage is chemically manufactured by “cooking” the bamboo leaves and woody shoots in strong chemical solvents such as sodium hydroxide (NaOH – also known as caustic soda or lye) and carbon disulfide in a process also known as hydrolysis alkalization combined with multi-phase bleaching. Both sodium hydroxide and carbon disulfide have been linked to serious health problems. Breathing low levels of carbon disulfide can cause tiredness, headache and nerve damage. Carbon disulfide has been shown to cause neural disorders in workers at rayon manufacturers. Low levels of exposure to sodium hydroxide can cause irritation of the skin and eyes. Sodium hydroxide is a strong alkaline base also known as caustic soda or lye. In its dry crystalline form, caustic soda is one of the major ingredients of Drano. This is basically the same process used to make rayon from wood or cotton waste byproducts. Because of the potential health risks and damage to the environment surrounding the manufacturing facilities, textile manufacturing processes for bamboo or other regenerated fibers using hydrolysis alkalization with multi-phase bleaching are not considered sustainable or environmentally supportable."

[Equuskia]

well, I don't know about carbon disulfide, but sodium hydroxide, while requiring careful handling, isn't some horrible manmade pollutant. It's found in nature (as soda ash, for example) and has been used to make soap since the 7th century. You can't make soap without it. I have never heard of sodium hydroxide being linked to serious health problems unless you are not handling it properly. At the industrial level, it is usually in an aqueous solution because it is cheaper and easier to handle than using the dry crystal form, which is what soapmakers use.

[BeagleMommy]

The pp has said what I was just about to say in defense of NaOH. Don't get it directly on your skin, don't drink it, try not to breathe the fumes, and it's not a big deal.
I'll continue to use bamboo on my baby's bum.

[robertandenith]

I believe you can wash most of it out of the diaper with several washes. At least is better than disposables!