Bamboo is a relative newcomer on the green scene of eco friendly fabrics, and; it’s easy to see why. It has anti-microbial properties, can take three times its weight in water, making it more absorbent than cotton and it has the softness of 3-ply tissue.

What you may not know, is that due to the manufacturing process what started out as a natural substance is now simply rayon or viscose which is not anti-microbial and far cry from the natural substance it originated as. Many products are labeled as bamboo, ranging from clothing, towels and bathmats; however whether it actually is bamboo depends on the manufacturing process. Considering many green products are priced higher than similar products its important to know not all bamboo products are created equal.

There are two ways in which bamboo is processed. The first is similar to the way that hemp and flax are processed. This involves crushing the stalks and letting natural enzymes break it down into fibers that can be used, which results in bamboo linen, this is a natural fiber.

The second process involves the use of toxic chemicals resulting in an end fabric commonly known as rayon or viscose. Even though manufacturing bamboo using a chemical process is not eco-friendly, it has not stopped unscrupulous retailers and manufacturers eager to capitalize on the growing demand for green products.

Both the FTC and the Canadian Competition Bureau have enacted labeling laws where manufacturers must correctly label bamboo. In the U.S. alone 78 companies from Barney’s, Nordstrom’s Wal-Mart K-mart and Tommy Bahama had to be warned to re-label their bamboo products accurately. Canada’s Competition Bureau had 450,000 textile articles relabeled and had 250 web pages corrected to reflect these new laws. They can say rayon from bamboo or viscose from bamboo however; even this seems to be misleading, after the chemical processing of bamboo there is little of the natural product left.

Look at the label, currently Oeko-tex certification guarantees eco-friendly production. If it’s not certified, its dubious that it was manufactured in an eco-friendly production facility. Other certification bodies include Soil Association, SKAL and KRAV.

If it’s not on the label ask, ask your retailer about the product, if its certified. The more consumers who ask will let the retailer know that we consumers don’t want to be duped by green washing products that are far from being as eco-friendly and sustainable as claimed .