Highland Baby has a mission to help parents make more informed choices about the products and fibers they put on their babies. We take our mission seriously and are always transparent about our sourcing, manufacturing, and the full picture of each textile. Read on for a synopsis of the various materials we use.
Bamboo:
Bamboo is a plant that grows in tropical climates in many parts of the world. Most bamboo that makes it into textiles is grown in China. Bamboo grows very fast - in fact it's one of the fastest growing plants on earth. It also requires no pesticides or fertilizers. Because of this it is a very eco friendly crop to produce, especially when compared to conventional cotton. '
Most textiles on the market of bamboo origin are bamboo viscose or bamboo rayon. Those two terms denote basically the same process, which involves using chemicals to break down the cellulose in the bamboo, then forced through a spinneret to make filaments, which are then turned into thread or yard, which becomes our bamboo fabric. One downside of this process is the potential for the harmful chemicals used in the process to be released back into the environment.
More and more manufacturers are taking a closed-loop approach to the viscose process, which means solvents and chemicals used in the processes are recycled back through the plant and resused, drastically reducing the amount of chemicals that will end up in the environment. The chemicals are also a concern for the workers that handle them.
One thing that is not a concern is chemicals in the finished textile; they wash away completely. The resulting fabric is soft (one of the softest materials), breathable, somewhat moisture wicking, and rarely causes any allergic reactions. Some sources will claim it is antibacterial, and while bamboo itself might be, the resulting garment retains very few antibacterial properties.
So what are the advantages of bamboo to cotton? Conventionally grown cotton is intensely chemical treated and uses a ton of water. Organic cotton has fewer of these downsides. Organic cotton tends to be more expensive than bamboo. Bamboo's softness could only be matched, in my opinion, by modal and by silk. It is also fairly durable when either cotton or polyester is added to enhance it.
Our bamboo is sourced from China and is processed using closed loop systems. Additionally we use some bamboo that is knit and finished in the US. The US does not domestically produce its own bamboo for textiles, and if it were to do so the material would be prohibitively expensive for us to purchase.
PUL:
Polyurethane Laminate is a water resistant polyester that you will find on the outer of some of our covers, NB AIOs, and pocket diapers. It is thin and soft, and tested to be free of phthalates, BPA, and lead. Additionally we use suppliers that do not use Flourine (PFAs) to help with waterproofing. If you would like to read more about PFAs, check out this blog post: https://highlandbaby.store/blogs/news/pfas-in-cloth-diapers-is-it-something-to-be-concerned-about
Some parents who are opposed to polyester, which is essentially a type of plastic, will want to stay away from PUL in diapers. While PUL is amazing for waterproofing and fairly inexpensive, wool is a fantastic natural fiber alternative, if a bit pricey,
Sources:
https://www.bambootextiles.com.au/bamboo-information/how-is-bamboo-textile-fibre-made/
https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/bamboo-fabrics