The story of bamboo and India goes back a long way. Traditionally used for paper, weapons, housing and household articles, bamboo fabrics entered into our markets in the early 2000s. But this isn’t a new concept. The experimentation of this invention has been around for more than a 100 years.
The earliest record of US patents involving bamboo was made by Philipp Lichtenstadt in 1864. His original idea was to create a, “new and useful process for disintegrating the fibre of bamboo so that it may be used in manufacturing cordage, cloth, mats, or pulp for paper.” However, his patent never materialised.
In 2001, Beijing University became accredited as the first institution to successfully transform bamboo into cloth and in 2009, World Bamboo Day was officially established on September 18 at the eighth World Bamboo Congress (organised every three to four years by World Bamboo Organization, an international coordinating body for bamboo practitioners) held in Bangkok, Thailand. In less than a decade, the fabric had crept into many segments of textile markets.
On the occasion of the 12th World Bamboo Day today, we celebrate this miracle fibre known for being soft, durable, strong, and more; with a curated list of our favourite bamboo fabric options available to the Indian consumer.
Male matters
From round neck T-shirts, to polos and full sleeve T-shirts, the collection for men on NatureFab also includes graphic and piqué knit T-shirts. We are very intrigued by their piqué (a traditional woven style with a waffle-knit structure) T-shirts that come in an assortment of colours, the mustard being our favourite. Rs 799. naturefabstore.com
Cradle comfort
Swaddling clothes are always adorable and this cute piece that can be used as a wrapper, burp cloth, blanket, a stroller cover and much more, from Kicks and Crawls on The Nestery is made from 100 per cent bamboo fibre. This fabric is specifically designed to regulate the baby’s body temperature and ensure comfort, all day long. Rs 799. thenestery.in
T-shirts galore
This online shop features regular T-shirts in round neck and V neck, boxy balloon tops and Lurex stripe tops as options for women from their Lush Hues collection; but we love their simple and beautifully constructed basic crew neck T-shirt in sage green. Rs 749. brownliving.in
Sparkly clean
Bamboo bath towels seem to be the most commonly available form of the fabric and many online sites feature elaborate collections. Doctor Towels’ bamboo bath waffle towel collection features a blend of bamboo and cotton yarn; and the charcoal and off white number crafted with one side for face and the other side for body, marked with embroidery definitely caught our attention. Rs 799. doctortowels.com