2_9_ScanMag_72_Jan_2015_Text_Q10_Scan Magazine 1 09/01/2015 22:43 Page 14
Scan Magazine | Design | Bambootier
Bamboo’s sweat-absorbing, soft and naturally antibacterial qualities make it perfect for underwear and socks.
Put on your bamboo Underwear made of bamboo – if you have not tried it, the idea might seem slightly odd. But the fact is, using the rapidly growing, CO2-absorbing and flexible plant to produce viscose for clothing production makes perfect sense. In Denmark the material is championed by the website Bambootier, which sources and produces clothes designed in certified OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 bamboo textiles. By Signe Hansen | Photos: Bambootier
Founded by twin sisters Pernille and Christina Blom Skau Hansen in 2012, Bambootier focuses on organic, sustainable, and ethical fashion items – and for that bamboo is just the thing, says Pernille Blom Skau Hansen. “Basically bamboo cultivation benefits the surrounding landscape instead of harming it. Compared to cotton, bamboo needs very little water to grow, there is no need to use any pesticides, and you can harvest it year after year without damaging the plantation. Besides, it absorbs a lot of CO2.” That a hectare of bamboo absorbs four
times as much CO2 as a hectare of young trees (normally used for the production of viscose) might not be enough to convince everybody to choose a pair of bamboo jeans. But the plant is not just environmentally sustainable – its fabric is also beautiful and very versatile. Made from the cellulose inside bamboo, the textile is soft, sweat-absorbing and naturally antibacterial. These qualities make it perfect for underwear and socks, especially for people with sensitive skin. The bamboo garments made by Bambootier are produced at sites that are
eco-friendly, re-use chemicals and produce OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certified textiles. The website also sells products in organic cotton and other materials when suitable for the design. “We don’t use materials from animals and we only use organic materials when possible. If it’s not possible, we keep searching for producers who can realise our vision. We constantly aim to make our products better and more eco-friendly,” stresses Pernille Blom Skau Hansen. Products are packed by the sisters and their family and shipped in bags made from recycled plastic. Besides, the company pays to offset its CO2 consumption. Allowing customers to be able to shop with a clean conscience is, stresses the sisters behind Bambootier, the main goal with the website: “We created Bambootier based on a vision of making organic, sustainable and animal-friendly fashion economically accessible to everyone; our hope is that it eventually becomes the norm rather than the exception within the fashion industry.” LEFT: Pernille and Christina Blom Skau Hansen
For more information, please visit: www.bambootier.dk
14 | Issue 72 | January 2015