Bamboo sheets are not Eco-friendly.
The last twenty years have seen an explosion of Eco-friendly products that are labeled as green, organic and good for the environment. There have even been a few companies in the bed linen industry that have tried to capitalize on this trend, specifically Bamboo bed linen and sheet manufacturers.
These products first surfaced in the early 2000's. Bamboo sheets are produced from the fiber of bamboo trees. Manufacturers of these linens claim that their products are organic, Eco-friendly, green, sustainable and antimicrobial. Their antimicrobial spin suggests this bedding actually repels little critters, such as dust mites.
-
The reality is that bamboo bed sheets are not Eco-friendly.
-
All the claims of this being a new breakthrough technology are completely false.
The FTC has declared that these fibers are nothing more than Rayon, which was invented in 1855 by Georges Audemars.
-
The dictionary definition of Rayon is any of a group of smooth textile fibers made from regenerated cellulose, extruded through minute holes.
-
Rayon can be better described as a textile that is made from the cellulose fiber found in plants and trees. It may be renewable, but it is hardly worth the distinction of green, Eco-friendly, or organic.
-
By the time the fiber is chemically processed, it is simply cellulose. The use of Rayon in textiles has been around years, so it is not at all groundbreaking.
A number of years ago, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission became suspicious of such claims made by bed sheet manufacturers and decided to investigate them. Here are their conclusions:
"The rayon manufacturing process uses toxic chemicals and results in the emission of hazardous air pollutants. And, despite the claims of manufacturers in this industry, the Commission charges that these rayon products are not biodegradable because they will not break down in a reasonably short time after customary disposal. Most clothing and textiles are disposed of either by recycling or sending to a landfill. Neither method results in quick bio-degradation.
The rayon manufacturing process, which involves dissolving the plant source in harsh chemicals, eliminates any such natural properties of the bamboo plant. Similarly, the Commission charges that the companies’ clothing and textiles are not made using an environmentally friendly process.
The complaints also charge these companies with violating the Textile Act and Rules by, among other things, falsely and deceptively labeling and advertising their clothing and textile products as bamboo, when they should be labeled and advertised as rayon. The FTC also charged these companies with violating the Textile Act and Rules by advertising or labeling their products without disclosing where the products were manufactured.
The settlements bar these companies from claiming that any textile product: is made of bamboo or bamboo fiber; is manufactured using an environmentally friendly process; or is antimicrobial or retains the anti-microbial properties of the product from which it is made, unless the claims are true, not misleading, and substantiated by competent and reliable scientific evidence."
So, if you come across a linen company making any of these claims that bamboo and micro-modal are Eco-friendly, please know that they are untrue. That is not according to Vero Linens, but according to the Federal Trade Commission. We’ll take their word on it.
There may eventually come a day when the invention of a new product offers a better bedding material than cotton. For now, we don't see it.
Cotton has been in use for thousands of years. So if it ain’t broke, there’s no need to fix it.
Vero Linens brings you high-quality luxury linens that are made in Italy. We invest in quality, and that is exactly what our customers have come to expect. The next time you are in search of fine bed linens, cotton duvet covers, or feather sleeping pillows, look to Vero Linens to satisfy all your bedding needs.
You may also enjoy the following articles:
