Are “Green” Bamboo Manufacturers Taking Advantage of the “Green” Trend
We are obviously here to promote “green” living and it was a little disappointing to read that bamboo products are not necessarily considered green. This will truly be upsetting to people that have bought various forms of bamboo clothing and bedroom products, as just about every site on the Internet is promoting them as the next great thing in “green” living.
The myth of bamboo gets shattered during the processing of the bamboo. While the actual growing of the bamboo is considered eco-friendly, what happens to it once it gets to the processing plants is anything but. It is this very process that takes it from one end of the spectrum to the next.
In order for most bamboo to be turned into a product that clothing and other items can be made from, it must be cooked in very strong chemicals. Once the cooking process is completed, the bamboo is then turned into a fiber that the plants can weave to make the products that we have all become very fond of. However, once the bamboo goes into those chemical vats, it can no longer be considered green.
The problem here is the misleading labels that we are reading. The manufacturers are splitting hairs by saying that the product is grown green, but they say nothing about what happens to the bamboo after it is cut down. Now we have people buying a product that they think is eco-friendly and they are actually contributing to the very problem that they are trying to help conquer.
This may not be news to some people, but for others it could come out as truly shocking. I for one have been swallowing this Kool-Aid hook, line and sinker and am now looking at bedroom pillows, covers and a variety of clothing items that go against everything that I believe in. To say that I feel crossed is quite an understatement. However, it is a lesson learned and will make me more vigilant in checking labels and researching processes before I support any company that claims to be “green.”
