Gillian Faye L.

Lechoco

6-26-15

FD 214- Textile, Fiber, and Fabric Production

The Best Fabric or Textile for the Philippine Climate

Whether we all like it or not, fabric selection has been one of the things a Filipino has been
trying to consider every time. With or without the consideration of style, knowing which fabric to
wear is a tad bit complex, and wearing such is carefully planned according to the type of climate
and/or weather a person--- specifically a Filipino--- is situated in. Moreover, Filipino lifestyle is
also a major factor on knowing the best fabric to wear in the Philippines.
Firstly, weather and climate conditions affect humans in fundamental ways. Throughout
history, individuals and families devised ways to protect themselves from the weather. The
Philippines is a tropical island. The Philippines climate is hot and humid all year round, and
instead of temperature changes, seasons are only marked by rain changes, such as monsoon
rains. It does not matter whether you are in the rainy or the dry season, because you will still
have to deal with the ever present heat and humidity.
Second, lifestyle in the Philippines is, however, very hectic. Urban areas experience constant
traffic congestion, and Filipinos often situate themselves within the busy streets--- trying to
contend with the other passengers just to get a ride in a jeepney, selling goods on the
sidewalks, walking blocks and meters away to the work site they are working in, so on and so
forth. Working our way towards economic progression, commercial buildings were continually
sprouting out from nowhere--- works that are manifested by Filipino construction workers. Rural
areas offer fishing and farming as primary sources of living for the people residing on such.
Whether one is situated in the city or province, product is always sweat--- the one we always
cant avoid.
The least factor that a textile research focuses on is sanitation and how every other factor
greatly affects this one, and this research wanted to also give sanitation a heavy weight.
Philippines, whether we like it or not, wherever we may be situated in, has poor waste treatment
due to poor planning and weak enforcement of regulations. Smoke, dirt, and trashes are
scattered all over the place, and even if one can be meticulous about oneself, the weather,
climate, lifestyle greatly affect Filipino health and sanitation.

The best thing that a Filipino can do is to dress up comfortably with the type of fabric one is
wearing. Along with the selection of the fabric to wear, one has to take into consideration the cut
and fitting of the garment/s. With sources and visual presentations, bamboo fabric--- out of all
other fabrics such as --- stands out as the best textile to wear in the Philippine climate.
Bamboo fibre is a regenerated cellulosic fibre produced from bamboo. Starchy pulp is
produced from bamboo stems and leaves through a process of alkaline hydrolysis and multiphase bleaching. Further chemical processes produce bamboo fibre.
The main issue with bamboo is the method that many companies use turn the stalks into
fiber. The conventional method for producing bamboo fabric is similar to making rayon. The
plant is mashed up and basically cooked in harsh chemicals like sodium hydroxide (another
term for lye) and carbon disulfide. According to Michael over at Organic Clothing
(http://organicclothing.blogs.com/my_weblog/2007/09/bamboo-facts-be.html),

he

said

that

breathing low levels of carbon disulfide can cause tiredness, headache and nerve damage.
Moreover, carbon disulfide has been shown to cause neural disorders in workers at rayon
manufacturers. Low levels of exposure to sodium hydroxide can cause irritation of the skin and
eyes. Other than that, those mentioned were just the cons experienced inside the
manufacturing facilities, and let us focus more on the upsides of the fabric itself.
According to Dr. Subrata Das in Fibre2Fashion (http://www.fibre2fashion.com/industryarticle/textile-industry-articles/properties-of-bamboo-fibre/properties-of-bamboo-fibre1.asp),
bamboo fibre fabric is made of 100% bamboo pulp fibre and is characterized by its good
hygroscopicity (ability to absorb moisture from air), excellent permeability, soft feel, easiness to
straighten and dye and splendid color effect of pigmentation.
It is softer than cotton, with a texture similar to a blend of cashmere and silk. The bamboo
fibers in the fabric have natural antibacterial elements (called bamboo-kun) that keep the
bacteria away. A scientific study published in the Journal of Family Ecology and Consumer
Sciences

has

proven

that

bamboo

fabric

is,

in

fact,

antimicrobial

(http://www.ajol.info/index.php/jfecs/article/view/69727/57732 ; http://fiberelement.com/breakingnews-bamboo-sheets-antimicrobial/). Quoted from the article, the experiment gives off results:

After the 24-hour period was finished, the scientists counted the number of Staphylococcus
epidermis colonies on each fabric sample. The results were as follows:

Regenerated bamboo: 30 colonies

Viscose rayon: 53 colonies
Cotton: 127 colonies
As if these numbers dont speak clearly enough, the scientists also found that the fabrics
eliminated the following percentages of bacteria:
Regenerated bamboo: 74.8%
Viscose rayon: 59.5%
Cotton: 0%
The scientists also noted that there was a possibility that the antimicrobial properties of the
bamboo fabrics could be related to traces of sulfur left on them after the manufacturing process,
but the evidence was inconclusive.
Alongside of that, it was also said that bacteria and microorganisms can cause damage to
fabrics known as biodeterioration. This can cause problems from stains to a loss in strength
and flexibility. Natural fibers are the most susceptible to biodeterioration, particularly in hot,
humid conditions (as so many clothes and sheets often are). Cotton fibers are particularly prone
to biodeterioration in the form of infestation (of bacteria) because of their porous structure,
which is why cotton may be good to wear here in the Philippines, but because of the reason
stated, cotton cant be considered as the best textile to wear.
Another thing that is mentioned in the article is that bamboo fabric is answer for great
comfortability. It is excellent for absorbing moisture, which means that sweat from all the
humidity can be absorbed and evaporated in a matter of seconds only. The cross-section of the
fibre is filled with various micro-gaps and micro-holes, so it has much better moisture absorption
and ventilation. A video from Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a4AIM2_AyQ)
begins with an experiment done between cotton and bamboo fibres, and the end result shows
that bamboo fibre sinks faster in a water container compared to cotton, which means that
bamboo fibres have moisture absorbency that is twice than that of cotton. Furthermore, 100%
bamboo woven fabrics show remarkable elasticity wherein the use of elastomeric fibres like
elastanes may be eliminated. So, the issue about sweat coming all from the hectic activities and
humidity doesnt become a problem anymore because such garment made from bamboo fibre
makes a Filipino feel extremely comfortable, and such textile never sticks to the skin even on a

very hot weather. Temperature adaptability is out of the question if bamboo fabric is worn in the
Philippines.
One of the astonishing features of bamboo fabric is that it possesses anti-UV properties that
can protect us from the harmful suns rays that can penetrate beyond the top layer of the human
skin, causing or developing skin cancer. A research by the company called BambroTex quotes
that 100% bamboo fabric tends to reflect instead of absorbing the UV rays given off by the sun,
greatly opposite to 100% cotton fabric (http://www.bambrotex.com/second/anti_UV.htm). This
textile is quite healthy and appreciated in the damaged environment that we are in today.
The greatest plus side of bamboo fabric is that it is very eco-friendly and renewable. The
good thing is that Philippines, according to a research done by a research specialist named
Cristina A. Roxas, provides bamboo resources with an estimate of 10 730 million linear meters,
most of which are represented by climbing bamboos totaling 8318 linear meters. Bamboo grass,
the source of bamboo fabric, is an extremely fast-growing material and it only takes about 2 to 3
years. Maintenance is not a problem because it thrives without needing pesticides or fertilizers.
Bamboo grows well with just rainwater and no additional irrigation is required, unlike cotton
which requires 20,000 litres of water per kilogram. As a grass, it is self-propagating, so does not
need replanting which helps save topsoil and energy.
On top of that, bamboo garment is actually just simple to take care of. It can be machine or
hand washed in cool to lukewarm water with mild detergent. Shrinkage is minimal and it is best
to air-dry bamboo clothing rather than in a dryer. Moreover, it is resistant to natural wrinkling, so
ironing is very minimal, but if required, the process is done on a low temperature setting.
Against cotton, linen, rayon, and polyester, bamboo has been renewable and the most
available resource in the Philippines. In other words, bamboo is a very sustainable fabric.
Dressing is all about personality, but provided with a very humid and filthy environment, textile
selection also becomes a thing. In conclusion, amidst the weather, climate, lifestyle, and
environmental problems a Filipino encounters, bamboo fabric provides a great solution to every
issue.

Sources:
Web articles:

http://www.philippines-travel-guide.com/philippines-climate.html
https://www.withlocals.com/locations/philippines/climate/
http://azurebeach.com.au/pages/tropical-wear
http://ecosalon.com/bamboo-eco-friendly-or-greenwash/
http://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/19/1805/eco-friendly-fabric1.asp
http://www.glueandglitter.com/main/2012/06/15/bamboo/
http://organicclothing.blogs.com/my_weblog/2007/09/bamboo-facts-be.html
http://fiberelement.com/breaking-news-bamboo-sheets-antimicrobial/
http://www.ajol.info/index.php/jfecs/article/view/69727/57732
http://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/textile-industry-articles/properties-of-

bamboo-fibre/properties-of-bamboo-fibre1.asp
http://www.bamboogarden.com/FAQ%20general.htm
http://kaljacobs.com/benefits_bamboo
http://www.bioversityinternational.org/fileadmin/bioversity/publications/Web_version/572/

ch30.htm
http://www.bambrotex.com/second/anti_UV.htm
http://www.beagleybrown.com/is-bamboo-a-sustainable-fabric-or-is-it-just-bamboozling-

us/
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a4AIM2_AyQ