Bamboo is the New Cotton

Bamboo and cotton seem so different at first look, yet they have so much in common.

Evidence of the use of cotton is dated as far back as 3600 BC and has been found across the globe used in the Ancient Era and Middle Ages. Evidence of cotton has been found in South America, North America, Egypt, and India. Over the centuries, cotton has been a resource for fuel, fabric, and even its seeds have been used for feeding live stock. 

 Cotton has had a vital role in the economic growth in the early years of United States. Bumper crops enabled share croppers to save enough money to buy their own farms. The demand for cotton was high and innovative technologies allowed for bigger crops and more cost effective processing. Cotton is still in high demand and is a valued resource. However, there is a new, but not so new, competitor in the market. Bamboo.

Bamboo also dates back to ancient civilizations. Historians have found an what is know to be the world's oldest example of a multiplication table in China written on bamboo strips. Bamboo has been used for centuries in Asia, It has been a plentiful resource for construction, medicine, textiles, and food.

Bamboo is getting a makeover in the 21st century. The global effort to look for green sustainable resources utilized bamboo in ways never thought of before. Rapid advancing technologies are able to turn bamboo into fashionable product packaging that can be refilled instead of thrown away, computer casings, clothing, and sporting equipment just to name a few.

So why is bamboo the new cotton?

 Bamboo can be more cost effective in the manufacturing of many different types of goods because it is hardy and doesn't require pesticides or herbicides to grow well. It doesn't require irrigation and once cut crops can regrow within 3 to 5 years and rarely needs replanting. Its production into fiber leaves a smaller carbon footprint than most other materials.

Considering bamboo is from the grass family and grows from its roots, it is a truly renewable resource. Adding the benefit of eliminating the need for additional chemicals to promote growth, bamboo is the choice of fabric for consumers looking to purchase environmentally friendly products and the increasing consumer base with allergy sensitivities. Anything made from cotton fabric can be made from bamboo fabric. Bamboo is the new cotton.