What Is Bamboo Charcoal Fabric?
You might be used to charcoal in your water filter or maybe as the main ingredient in your beauty face mask - but did you know charcoal is also used in fabric? The textile industry uses bamboo charcoal to add desirable performance and aesthetic attributes to fabric and clothing.
Bamboo charcoal fabric is a fabric treatment using the activated carbon of burnt bamboo; a highly porous material. This application has several benefits for garments, including thermal regulation, odor absorption, and static reduction. Bamboo charcoal fabric is also hypoallergenic and antibacterial.
Fabric infused with bamboo charcoal is not dirty at all. It’s quite the opposite because bamboo charcoal creates a fabric that repels odors, wicks moisture, and naturally fights bacteria. But those are just some of the benefits of bamboo charcoal clothing. To understand them all, we should start with how it’s made.
How Is Bamboo Charcoal Fabric Made?
Bamboo charcoal fabric is made by burning bamboo at very high temperatures to create charcoal. This charcoal is then processed into fine nanoparticles that are embedded into fibers and spun into yarn. The resulting fabric is soft, UV-resistant, and requires fewer synthetic treatments.
Breaking this down into steps, it looks something like this:
Transforming Bamboo Into Bamboo Charcoal
Mature bamboo shoots must be harvested and fully dried. Then the bamboo is heated in a special kiln or oven to extremely high temperatures ranging between 800 and 1,200 degrees Celsius. The heating process results in chunks of bamboo charcoal that must then be processed further.
Refining Bamboo Charcoal For Fabric Application
After creating the charcoal, the next step is to refine the large pieces of charcoal into something much smaller. In order for the charcoal to be embedded into fabric, it must be broken down into nanoparticles.
Treating Fibers With Bamboo Charcoal
Once they have been refined, the charcoal particles are combined with unprocessed fibers such as cotton or polyester. This infuses the beneficial properties of bamboo charcoal into the main material.
The charcoal particles must be very small in this step to ensure that they properly bond to the fibers. This way, the charcoal won’t be washed out when the fabric is used or cleaned. Nobody wants to wear something that leaves black streaks!
Converting Treated Fibers To Threads, Then Garments
Finally, the mixed fiber is spun into yarn which can then be manufactured into clothing or other textiles.
How Is Bamboo Charcoal Fabric Different From Bamboo Fabric?
Bamboo charcoal fabric is a treatment that can be applied to any fabric, using the activated carbon from bamboo, whereas bamboo fabric is any textile that uses the fiber of bamboo to form a thread. Bamboo charcoal transfers the material benefits of bamboo without the need for bamboo fibers.
Although the idea of turning bamboo shoots into clothing may seem unique, it has been a common practice for many years.
However, the bamboo charcoal fabric is different than standard bamboo fabric in many ways. Bamboo charcoal is particularly sought after because of its natural cleansing and purifying properties.
Bamboo charcoal fabric is not necessarily the same thing as bamboo fabric. Bamboo fabric refers to textiles that are made from the bamboo plant. The shoots and fibers are the primary materials that are used to form the fabric.
On the other hand, bamboo charcoal fabric refers to any type of fabric that has been mixed with nanoparticles of bamboo charcoal. The base fabric could be made of bamboo as well, but it could also be cotton, polyester, or something else entirely.
For example, when cotton fibers are mixed with bamboo charcoal, this blend creates a fabric that is very different from the original material.
While pure bamboo fabric often has a silky texture, fabrics that are imbued with bamboo charcoal have a matte finish and are more breathable. That’s because charcoal infuses the result with several unique benefits.
What Are The Benefits of Bamboo Charcoal Fabric?
Bamboo charcoal fabrics have numerous benefits, here are 13 of the most important:
Eco-Friendly Material: Bamboo charcoal is a sustainable and eco-friendly material that has a range of benefits for both people and the environment.
High Durability: Bamboo charcoal is infused deep into the fabric, making it more durable than standard bamboo fabric, and allows the charcoal to remain in place even after repeated washing.
Natural Cleansing Properties: Bamboo charcoal is known for its natural ability to absorb impurities and odors. This makes it an ideal material for activewear and other garments that may get sweaty or dirty.
UV Protection: Bamboo charcoal can provide UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) protection from the sun’s harmful rays.
Breathable and Comfortable: The small size of the bamboo charcoal particles allows them to bond well with fabric fibers, making the resulting material very breathable and comfortable to wear.
Antibacterial Properties: Bamboo charcoal is a natural antibacterial agent, which helps to keep fabrics clean and free of bacteria.
Hypoallergenic: Bamboo charcoal is also hypoallergenic, making it a good choice for people with sensitive skin.
Reduces Static Electricity: The natural properties of bamboo charcoal help to reduce static electricity, making garments made from this material less likely to cling.
Deodorizing: The ability of bamboo charcoal to absorb odors makes it ideal for use in activewear and other garments that are likely to get sweaty or dirty.
Regulates Body Temperature: Bamboo charcoal is a natural temperature regulator, helping to keep the body cool in warm weather and warm in cold weather.
Absorbs Moisture: Bamboo charcoal is highly absorbent, making it ideal for use in towels and other materials that need to be able to soak up moisture.
Easy Care: Bamboo charcoal fabrics are easy to care for and can be washed in the same way as any other type of fabric.
Pilling Resistant: Bamboo charcoal fabrics are less likely to pill than other types of fabric, making them a good choice for garments that will be worn often.
Examining the Benefits of Bamboo Charcoal Fabrics More Closely
Although bamboo clothing is currently gaining popularity in the fashion world, bamboo charcoal has been prized as a “Black Diamond” in countries like Japan for a much longer time. It’s easy to see why this fabric is sought-after when you look at the benefits it provides.
Several different fabrics and fibers can be blended with bamboo charcoal, so there are lots of styles and design options for manufacturers to choose from. The physical and chemical structure of the charcoal provides some desirable properties as well.
When bamboo is burned, it creates a type of charcoal that is incredibly porous and absorbent. Bamboo charcoal is 5 times more porous than charcoal made from hardwoods. The porous nature of charcoal creates clothing that is breathable, moisture-wicking, and odor-resistant.
As you can tell, there's a lot to like about bamboo charcoal fabrics. But several attributes deserve further explanation.
Thermal Regulation
Because bamboo charcoal is extremely porous, each charcoal particle has lots of holes to capture air. It can ventilate and regulate temperature more easily due to its breathable nature.
Fabric that is imbued with bamboo charcoal pulls hot air away from you when it’s warm or cold air away from you when it’s cold.
These thermal regulating properties make this fabric a great choice for both summer and winter activities.
Moisture Control
Similar to its thermal properties, bamboo charcoal is highly absorbent. Fabric infused with bamboo charcoal quickly soaks up any moisture coming off your body and keeps you cool and dry.
Antibacterial and Antifungal
Bamboo charcoal clothing doesn’t just absorb your sweat; it also keeps you smelling fresh. This is a very important attribute for any activewear material.
Charcoal naturally inhibits the growth of bacteria that may cause odors.
Charcoal creates an inhospitable environment for bacteria and fungal spores, so mildew and body odor won’t be able to get into the weave. If you want to stay dry and odor-free, the bamboo charcoal fabric is the way to go.
Infrared Absorption
Bamboo charcoal nanoparticles absorb and disperse infrared energy. Many people who need activewear spend a lot of time in the sun. Therefore, a piece of clothing that grants protection against infrared and UV radiation is quite useful!
It’s been estimated that bamboo charcoal fabric has a natural SPF level of 50, so harmful rays from the sun won’t be able to get through it easily.
Electromagnetic Protection
Bamboo charcoal naturally emits negative ions, which protect against electromagnetic pollution in your surrounding environment.
Electromagnetic radiation can come from the sun or electronic devices like your cell phone. Usually, the levels aren’t harmful in small doses, so this feature is a pretty minor benefit. However, it can make a small difference, so it’s worth remembering.
Static Resistant
Bamboo charcoal is also naturally conductive, which means that clothing made from it is not particularly good at holding a static charge.
That’s one less painful zap for the wearer!
Hypoallergenic
Because of the natural purifying attributes of the charcoal itself, bamboo charcoal clothing is very easy on your skin. It’s fairly soft and flexible, so it’s comfortable to wear too.
Bamboo charcoal clothing is unlikely to cause skin irritations or create allergic reactions and is ultimately very comfortable.
It also requires fewer synthetic/chemical treatments, so you can avoid these substances if you’re sensitive to them.
Natural Color
In addition to all of the amazing performance benefits that bamboo charcoal adds to clothing, it has one more thing to offer.
The black charcoal particles infused into the fabric create an earthy gray color. While other dyes can be added to change this, many brands emphasize the natural color of charcoal in their fabric.
Is Bamboo Charcoal Fabric Good For Activewear?
Bamboo charcoal is a popular choice for activewear because it's comfortable, lightweight, and breathable. Additionally, its ability to absorb sweat and odors is perfect for activewear, however, in its most common form, it doesn't provide as much support as some other fabrics.
Thanks to the embedded charcoal particles, activewear made from charcoal fabric will have improved breathability compared to other materials. The moisture-wicking keeps the wearer comfortable and allows sweat to evaporate quickly.
In addition, the natural properties of charcoal will ward off body odor and prevent bacteria growth.
All of the performance benefits of bamboo charcoal fabric make it a perfect fit for activewear brands.