In August 2009, suppliers deceptively used “bamboo fiber” in labels and advertisements. The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) filed charges against the relevant suppliers.
Four clothing and textile dealers in the United States claimed that the man-made fiber products they sold contained bamboo fiber. The FTC is suing these dealers for this. At the same time, some companies use the term “green” incorrectly or unfoundedly, claiming that their products are produced using environmentally friendly methods, maintain the inherent antibacterial properties of bamboo, and are biodegradable. The complainant sued these companies in this regard.
Man-made fibers contain renewable cellulose. No more than 15% of the substituents in the cellulose replace the hydrogen of hydroxyl groups. The cellulose contained in the fiber is precipitated from organic solvents, and no hydroxyl substitution phenomenon or generation occurs. Chemical intermediates. The term “lyocell” can be used as a general description of the fiber.
According to the FTC, these companies falsely claimed that their textiles contained “100% bamboo fiber” when in fact they were man-made fibers.
We learned from the FTC that man-made fibers are made from cellulose from trees or other plants and processed with chemical chemicals. This chemical releases harmful fumes.
Any tree or plant can be used as a source of cellulose, including bamboo. So when cellulose is reprocessed (rayon viscose processing), the resulting fibers are collectively called man-made fibers. According to the regulations of the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act 16 CFR 303.7, man-made fibers are defined as follows: Fibers made from bamboo cellulose are neither antimicrobial nor biodegradable.
There is still no authoritative research proving that man-made fibers retain the inherent antibacterial properties of bamboo. The FTC explained that when bamboo is used as a cellulose raw material, its artificial fibers do not retain bamboo’s inherent antimicrobial properties. Harsh and toxic chemicals are used to break down the bamboo raw material, while also eliminating the inherent antibacterial properties of the bamboo.
In addition, according to FTC information, there is no scientific basis to prove that “bamboo fiber” products are antibacterial. Once cleared and discarded, these products do not properly break down into the elements found in nature within a short period of time. Although using bamboo is environmentally friendly, man-made fibers made from bamboo cellulose are not. Because this process uses a lot of water resources and energy, it will cause air and water pollution.
