Is Bamboo Fiber Underwear Better Than Cotton?
Unless you prefer to go commando, you are wearing underwear every single day, and no matter what you are doing, your underwear can be your best friend.
It can make or break the comfort of your outfit. There are some who believe that bamboo fiber underwear is a better option than cotton. Is this true?
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at bamboo as a material for underwear and the advantages and disadvantages of wearing this type of underwear.
It’s no surprise that most people, men and women alike, are not very comfortable when they are not wearing underwear. Therefore, it’s a critical part of a standard wardrobe, and you want them to be comfortable. After all, it can have a major impact on your entire mood and make the day good or bad. Choosing the right underwear is critical to ensure your peace of mind and body.
When it comes to choosing the ideal fabric for underwear, most people go for cotton, which is a viable option. However, bamboo is becoming a more popular option in the fashion industry.
Bamboo Underwear Explained
Typically, the very first thing that people ask when they are introduced to underwear made from bamboo is how bamboo is used to manufacture comfortable clothing such as underwear.
This is where advances and breakthroughs in research and technology in the textile processing field come in. Processes have been developed that shred bamboo and combine it in a process to create viscose rayon. It is a fine, thin yarn and, according to some, one of the softest threads in the world.
This fiber is plentiful and, when combined with polyester or cotton, can be used for sewing linings and seams.
Bamboo underwear is typically significantly better than other underwear you’ll find on the market.
Interesting Facts About Bamboo Fabric
When you buy things, you want something that will meet your needs and wants. You want a product that will make you look and feel good, which is why the fabric matters.
So, why are people gravitating towards bamboo? Here are a few facts that might explain it.
- They last longer - Once you find something you like, you do everything you can to keep it looking new. Items made from synthetic materials are likely to lose their shape and color and basically wear out quicker. The good thing is that this doesn’t happen with Bamboo. Your clothes will look good even after repeated washings.
- Antibacterial properties minimize the risk of allergic reactions - If you’ve ever had an allergic reaction, you know how miserable it can be. With bamboo, you don’t have to worry about that!
- Ideal for sportswear - If you don’t have the right sportswear, it can be next to impossible to participate in physical activities. Once you have the right activewear, your performance will get better, and you’ll be able to enjoy yourself. Bamboo absorbs moisture and is UV resistant and breathable.
These are the top reasons that bamboo is becoming a popular choice in the fashion industry. Therefore, let’s take a closer look at how the bamboo fabric is made.
How is Bamboo Fabric Made?
Every day when you’re getting dressed, chances are that you don’t really give much thought to how the fabric was made. However, let’s take a closer look at the process of turning bamboo grass into fabric to make your underwear and other clothing items.
- Bamboo should be planted in spring, March through June. This is a fast-growing plant that doesn’t require any chemicals for growing. While spring is the ideal season for planting, fall is also a good time.
- Once the shoots grow, it’s time to harvest. This will typically be at the end of the rainy season, going into the dry season.
- Cut the bamboo into chips/strips with a metal or wood saw. Make sure that you are cutting at a 45° angle between the nodes. When you’re cutting, it’s important that you don’t through the culms or the rings between the nodes on the hard ground.
- When you’re done cutting, you can smash the pieces to create a pulp. You do this by heating the pulper machine to 145° C and adding the chips. The pulper creates steam to create the pulp.
- The liquid is poured through a filter, resulting in long fibers. The chips are soaked for 1-3 hours to extract cellulose from them, which is transformed into sheets.
- Then, the cellulose is placed in a sodium hydroxide bath and soaked at a temperature of 20 to 25° C.
- When the soaking process is done, the material is allowed to dry out, which makes it easier to separate and spin the fibers into threads. The threads will be spun into yarn. The bamboo yarn has a natural elasticity of 20%.
- Yarn is woven into fabric. There are several different methods of weaving, which affect the cloth. Each manufacturer decides which method is best for them.
Bamboo Underwear Characteristics
When you wear bamboo underwear, you will immediately notice the difference.
They feel cool and refreshing and they are much more eco-friendly when compared with other types of underwear. Plus, bamboo underwear has antimicrobial properties. The best underwear are resistant to odor and have thermo-regulating properties.
Bamboo Versus Cotton
Over the years, as times have changed and our technology has advanced, so has the world of underwear. Our parents and grandparents didn’t have many options when it came to underwear. They mostly had cotton or silk. Today, thanks to advancements in technology, we have lots of other fabric variations. Let’s compare bamboo with cotton.
Bamboo grows quickly and doesn’t require fertilizers or pesticides. When bamboo is harvested, the plant recovers quickly. Therefore, planting and harvesting are cost-effective and affordable. On the other hand, cotton requires a lot of attention, water, management, and fertilizer to grow.
Now, we’ll take a closer look at the advantages versus the disadvantages of bamboo over cotton.
Advantages & Disadvantages of Bamboo Underwear
Now that you have a clearer idea of bamboo underwear, how the bamboo fabric is made, and the features of bamboo underwear, let’s take a look at some of the advantages versus disadvantages of bamboo underwear.
Advantages of Bamboo Underwear
Here are a few of the advantages of bamboo over cotton as a material for underwear.
- Bamboo is softer than other fabrics. It is more delicate than silk and offers all-day comfort. In many cases, underwear can be itchy and uncomfortable. However, bamboo does not have that problem. It is soft and smooth.
- Bamboo dries out quicker due to the tiny gaps/holes that are present. This means that no matter how much you’re sweating, you will always feel cool and dry.
- Bamboo has cooling properties. No matter how hard you are working and how hot you get, bamboo helps wick away excessive heat. The fabric is quite breathable, which means you feel cool and refreshed all day.
- Bamboo is resistant to odor due to its breathable, antimicrobial properties. You don’t have to worry about odors ruining your day or night.
- Bamboo is hypoallergenic, which makes it ideal for those who have sensitive skin and suffer from skin allergies. It won’t be affected by your natural bacteria, unlike other fibers such as cotton.
Disadvantages of Bamboo Underwear
As with anything else, there are disadvantages of bamboo underwear as well, which we will look at below:
- Bamboo costs more because of the higher quality. It is smoother than silk and quite durable. So, even though it might cost more upfront, the quality makes it well worth spending the extra money.
If, after reviewing the advantages and disadvantages, you find that the pros are worth it, consider purchasing a few pairs of bamboo underwear and adding them to your rotation.
Bottom Line
Underwear is something that you wear every single day. Therefore, there’s no reason it should be uncomfortable.
Bamboo is quickly becoming a popular fabric for use in a variety of clothing pieces, including underwear and socks. You might want to consider buying a few pairs to try them out. If you don’t like it, you can go back to your regular underwear.
After trying them, you might want to switch to only wearing bamboo underwear. You never know until you try!