Good Gear launches bamboo collection
US-based sports apparel manufacturer Good Gear has launched a line of clothing entirely made from white bamboo, claiming they have breathable, hypoallergenic and lightweight properties.
Good Gear will showcase the line at the San Francisco Green Festival (April 9-10, 2011).
“We are thrilled to be part of San Francisco’s Green Festival this year,” said Torin Lee, Good Gear president. “Good Gear is a growing eco-friendly sports apparel line, and this venue will be a great opportunity for us to reach an audience that is very much in tune with our values and our concept: versatile, comfortable clothing for the active, environmentally conscious consumer.
The company is championing the environmental benefits of bamboo clothing, claiming they outweigh the eco-friendliness of synthetic textiles.
According to the company’s website, Good Gear uses bamboo growing in Sichuan, China to make its products. The bamboo fabric is certified and passes organic certifications from the Organic Crop Improvement Association (OCIA) and the National Organic Program (NOP). Good Gear uses ‘white bamboo charcoal’ to manufacture its fibre. The bamboo charcoal is four-year-old bamboo containing 15% to 18% water, which is dried then carbonized it in a kiln at 800 degrees Celsius. After 10 days it becomes fine bamboo charcoal with a smooth surface. The bamboo charcoal is then ground into a powder and spun into a fibre.
“Bamboo and athletic apparel are both gaining in popularity,” said Ms Lee. “The demand for bamboo continues to increase every year due to its durability, texture and environmental benefits. Likewise, performance apparel is one of the fastest growing sectors of the global textile industry. By combining the two, we are offering a product that we believe is the right concept at the right time.”
