More Bamboo Facts

While bamboo is so hardy that it can grow almost anywhere in the world, the bamboo in Amazing Tee's clothing is grown and processed into pulp and fiber in China. Currently, there is only one facility in the world that processes bamboo and it is located in China.

The main chemical used in the processing is sodium hydroxide also known as caustic soda. Caustic soda is one of the most widely used chemicals in the world. It is used in food production, soap making, manufacturing of bio diesel, production of paper, and is used on nearly all cotton fabrics, including organic cotton, during wet processing. While caustic soda is a strong chemical it poses no health hazard if used and disposed of properly. Caustic soda is approved for use on textiles under the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS).

In addition, Amazing Tee's products have Oeko Tex 100 Standard certification. The certification states that there are no chemicals present in the product, at that point in the processing, that would be harmful to human health, including that of babies. It does not certify that no chemicals were used in the processing nor does it make any evaluation of what processes were used or any evaluation of the facilities that participated. There are other Oeko Tex certifications, such as 1000 and 100+ that certify processes or facilities but Oeko Tex 100 does not.

As if you weren't already convinced, consider these facts about the greenness of bamboo:

• Bamboo is grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers
• Bamboo requires no irrigation
• Bamboo rarely needs replanting
• Bamboo grows rapidly and can be harvested in 3-5 years
• Bamboo produces 35% more oxygen that an equivalent stand of trees
• Bamboo is a critical element in the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
• Bamboo is an excellent soil erosion inhibitor