Gillian Faye L. Lechoco 6-26-15FD 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 multi-phase 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 likesodium hydroxide(another term for lye) andcarbon
disulfide. According toMichael 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/industry-article/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/breaking-news-bamboo-sheets-antimicrobial/).
Quoted from the article, the experiment gives off results:After the
24-hour period was finished, the scientists counted the number
ofStaphylococcus epidermiscolonies on each fabric sample. The
results were as follows:Regenerated bamboo: 30 coloniesViscose
rayon: 53 coloniesCotton: 127 coloniesAs 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 fibersare 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
