Frequently Asked Questions
Click on any topic below to find out more

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
• Species used for bamboo fiber
• Geographical location
• Renewability / Sustainability
• Harvest Practices/ Land quality & use
• Use of pesticides and fertilizer
PROCESSING AND MANUFACTURING
• Labor and sweatshop issues
GENERAL
• History of bamboo clothing
• Learn about bamboo

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Species used for bamboo fiber

Phyllostachys heterocycla pubescens, commonly known as Moso bamboo.

This is the largest of the temperate zone bamboo species and is the most economically important bamboo species in China. It is most commonly used for construction purposes and edible bamboo shoots.


Geographical location

Moso bamboo is prevalent throughout China. Bamboo Textile’s factory however, owns and maintains its own plantations on a large mountainside located in Zhejiang Province, which is south of the factory in Suzhou.

Renewability

Bamboo is known to be the fastest growing plant on earth, making it naturally highly renewable. In fact, bamboo grows to its maximum height in approximately 3 months and matures in 3-5 years for harvest.


Sustainability
Harvest Practices

Like all plants grown and managed for commercial purposes, harvesting practices must be exercised. Crop rotation and intercropping with bamboo is not unheard of, but they are not common practices integrated with bamboo plantation management. Our factory in China is utilizing the best harvesting practices to ensure a long-term supply of bamboo fiber.



Land quality and land use

Bamboo’s growth characteristics enable it to spread rapidly across large areas. Because of its growth characteristics and ability to spread, bamboo is known to improve soil quality in degraded and eroded areas of land.


Use of pesticides and fertilizer

Bamboo’s natural growth habits allow it to reproduce in abundance without the use of fertilizers and without the need for pesticides.

PROCESSING AND MANUFACTURING

Labor and sweatshop issues
Our factory has established labor practices that are based on SA8000 principles (Social Accountability International 8000) and plans are underway to receive full-fledged SA8000 certification. For more information about SA8000, go to www.sa8000.org.

GENERAL

History of bamboo clothing

Stay tuned.

Learn about bamboo
Start with these sites and you will find a world more about bamboo.

www.americanbamboo.org
www.worldbamboo.org
www.inbar.int