Bamboozled! Some fabric makers pass off rayon as hip bamboo, FTC says
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Fabric made from bamboo is trendy for clothing and bed linens because it’s soft, breathes well and is environmentally friendly. Anyone who has a bamboo plant sprouting out all over can tell you it’s a highly sustainable resource, sometimes to a fault.
But that isn’t so for three manufacturers who labeled their products as made from ‘100% bamboo fiber’ -- they were actually using rayon and other textiles, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
Rayon, though soft, is not nearly as eco-happy. It’s made from cellulose found in plants (including bamboo), but is processed with a harsh chemical.
The companies -- Sami Designs, Jonano and Pure Bamboo -- have settled charges with the agency without admitting wrongdoing. The FTC said that litigation is continuing against a fourth company, The M Group.
The FTC charged that ‘green’ claims made by the companies about their products were false or unsubstantiated. Also, claims that the textiles could fight off organisms or were biodegradable were also not true, the agency said.
The FTC has produced an online consumer booklet on the confusion over bamboo textiles.
-- David Colker
