With the current eco-opportunistic
GREEN rush to market by fabric suppliers, it is not surprising that recently
retailer Lululemon Athletica made headlines about the
validity/credibility of a new so-called eco/sustainable fabric.
This is NOT business as usual, nor is this a trend, this is an entirely new business model, one where you need to know your supply chain clear back to
the farm or fiber production facility, where does your fiber come from? What is the country of origin???? that is just
for starters.
Since the market currently lacks
standards and third party certification of sustainable/eco-fibers, the fabric
market has become the “Wild West”….where anything goes…..the only problem is
there is something called….”Truth in Labeling.”
I urge participants of my Eco-Textiles Workshops to consult the FTC
guidelines for clarity, bottom line....
Your label claims CANNOT be
deceptive.
The terms “eco, green, sustainable
and organic” are being used openly and interchangeably in the market with the
term ‘certified organic.’
To be sold in the US as certified
organic, all fiber must be certified organic in accordance with the USDA
NOP program (or) for Europe the EU organic certifications EU 2092/91.
Of enormous concern, much more than Lululemons “Sea
Cell”... is what people are touting as “Bamboo” I was concerned as I shopped in L.A. recently, at the number of garments on shelves that contained fiber declarations of "Bamboo?"
Read on………………………
Viscose 
or Rayon from Bamboo
Bamboo is not, in and of itself,
recognized as a fiber in the US or EU. What is referred to as bamboo
fiber in the market is actually viscose/rayon.
All viscose or rayon fiber from Bamboo
(as a source) that is imported into the US must carry a legal fiber content
label declaration of viscose or rayon. All bamboo imported into the EU must use
of the legal content declaration viscose; the EU does not permit the use of the
word rayon.
As one of the fastest growing plants
in the world, bamboo grows to its maximum height in about 3 months and reaches
maturity in 3-4 years. Because of relatively quick growing time and the
ability to be grown without fertilizers or pesticides, the fiber is currently
being marketed as an ‘eco-green-sustainable fiber.’
There are also claims that viscose
or rayon from bamboo is biodegradable and anti-microbial. Here is the definition of antimicrobal; "Capable of destroying or inhibiting the growth of
microorganisms"
Currently there is a lack
of transparency in the supply chain. It is not always clear which type of
bamboo is used for fiber, where it is grown, how it is cultivated, harvested
etc. To date there are no known organic certification of bamboo.
The process to make viscose or rayon
fiber from bamboo is the same process used to produce viscose/ rayon from any
other plant source. This process can be very polluting unless it is carefully
controlled, which can be influenced by the age and condition of the equipment
as well as whether there is any by-product recycling or effluent treatment.
Tencel® Lyocell
There is only one case of
manufacturing a regenerated cellulose fiber-where the chemicals used in the
process are completely recycled (closed loop) with a recovery rate of 99.5%. Lenzings TENCEL ® Lyocell, is a solvent spun
fiber in which the cellulose is directly dissolved keeping the cellulose much
closer to that found in nature. TENCEL® Lyocell, also carries the Oeko
Tex 100 certification and FSC certification Currently organic standards are
not in place for certifying regenerated fibers using trees as a source e.g.
Eucalyptus, or Beechwood. FSC certification for TENCEL® Lyocell is for
the forest and for the pulp, they also have been awarded the European-Eco
flower label.
Part II.......is it really biodegradable, compostable and or
recyclable???
