Social

Renewable Resources: Bamboo
Used For: shelter, weapons, food, and medicine

A grass that grows to a harvestable height between 3 -5 year
- Some species grow up to 2 feet per day
- It doesn’t require replanting, its extensive root system continually sends up new shoots, naturally replenishing itself.

Perks of Bamboo
- Its 16% harder than maple wood, 1/3 lighter in weight than oak, and in some instances as strong as steel.
- The fastest growing plant on this planet
- A critical element in the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
- A viable replacement for wood
- An enduring natural resource
- Versatile with a short growth cycle
- A critical element of the economy
- An essential structural material in earthquake architecture
- A natural controllable barrier
- An ancient medicine

Bamboo Fiber
Repeated technological analysis has proved that this kind of fiber has a thinness degree and whiteness degree close to normal finely bleached viscose and has a strong durability, stability and tenacity.

It stands abrasion and possesses a perfect quality to spin. The yarn and cloth made by this kind of fiber are labeled first-class quality in all aspects of quality standards.

Bamboo fiber fabric is made of 100% bamboo pulp fiber. It is characterized by its good hygroscopility, excellent permeability, soft feel, easiness to straighten and dye and splendid color effect of pigmentation. It is also a new environment-friendly raw material that enjoys a splendid prospect for application as its predecessor wood pulp fiber. Meanwhile cloth made by the mixed texture of bamboo fiber and cotton or other raw materials also boasts the same superior property.

Bamboo fiber clothes have actually been showing up in department stores and women's boutiques. An exclusive manufacturing process makes it possible to create a highly breathable, absorbent fabric entirely from bamboo fiber. Clothes made of this fabric sell for around the same price as ordinary clothes and have a distinctive softness and cool, light texture.

An interesting information was recently obtained from the market that 100% bamboo yarns show a great elasticity (nearly 20%) in the yarn. Even in woven fabrics a remarkable elasticity can be obtained. Our supplier partner even thinks that in 100% bamboo fabrics there is no need of elasthanes.

Another positive point besides the already known ones is that bamboo fabrics need less dyestuffs than cotton, modal or viscose. It seems that the absorption of dyestuffs is remarkably better. Bamboo absorbs the dye stuffs faster and shows the colors better.

Going Green
- Set up an Indoor Clothesline
- Use fast drying cloth diapers
- Shop for green clothing (organic cotton & silk, ext.)
- Use toxic free cosmetics
- reuse and recycle clothing. Reworked leather or vintage fabrics
- shop for things that are made closer to home
- Reduce Driving
- Turn off lights when not in room
- Don’t leave water running

- There is a rise in interest in carbon-neutral fibers (i.e. plant-based fibers that absorb the same amount of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during their natural growth cycle as they release on harvesting) such as bamboo, viscose and lyocell.

- Shifting away from oil-based synthetic fibers such as polyester and nylon, which are non-renewable and non-biodegradable, to a rang of natural and cellulosic fibers like cotton and lyocell, and new breeds of biodegradable synthetics made from plants, like poly(lactic acid) from corn starch and soy bean fiber.

Environmental impacts can occur at every stage of the textile lifecycle (raw materials, production, use and
disposal), irrespective of fibre type.

There are environmental problems associated with the production of manmade fibres, such as intensive
energy use and generation of hazardous air emissions. There are also potential environmental problems
associated with growing natural fibres, including the use of pesticides and degradation of the land.
The major positive and negative aspects of the main fibre types are summarised below.

The positive and negative environmental aspects are identified as follows:

Health Awareness 1998
Jan 1 - Smoking is banned in all California bars and restaurants
Jan 14 - Researchers in Dallas, Texas present findings about an enzyme that slows aging and cell death
June 2 - The CIH Virus is discovered in Taiwan
July 17 - Biologists report in the journal science how they sequenced the genome of the bacterium that causes syphilis, treponema pallidum
Aug 24 - First RFID human implantation tested in the United Kingdom
- An RFID tag is an object that can be applied to or incorporated into a product, animal or person for the purpose of identification and tracking using radio waves. Some tags can be read from several meters away and beyond the line of sight of the reader.

1997 Research Journal - Degree of Health and Effects on Apparel Expenditures

Health and degree of interest in social activity are major variables distinguishing older consumer segments.

Healthy Indulgers: includes retired individuals who focus on enjoying life and doing things they always wanted to do when they were younger, they tend to be in good health and financially better off. They need clothing for active lifestyles, but may shift their expenditures to leisure rather than working related apparel.
Ailing Outgoers: are also socially active, despite having experienced major health problems, they want to get the most out of life and are interested in looking socially acceptable; but are prime market segment for mail-order purchases, probably because of the physical demand of in-store shopping. Also looks for functional cloths with easy dressing.
Healthy Hermits: individuals who’s health is good but who withdraw psychologically and socially to some extent. Many have experienced challenging life events such as the loss of a spouse. They emphasize conformity in clothing and will pay more for well-known brands that give confidence in quality and acceptability.
Frail Recluses: have experienced greater levels of physical decline, which reduces their ability to go out and be socially active. They are more apt to accept old age status. Reduced interests in buying clothing as concerns about limits of retirement income increase and less need for more expensive work and formal clothing.

Lee, J., Hanna, S.D., Mok,C.F.J., & Wang, H. (1997). Apparel expenditure patterns of elderly consumers: A life-cycle consumption model. Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, 26:109 – 140