BAMBOO OR MICROMODAL?
Our clothing is often produced from Bamboo or MicroModal. But what is the difference, what does it consist of and what is the advantage. Read all about it on this page.
What is bamboo and MicoModal textiles made of?
Alternative materials are increasingly being used to make clothing. In this article we tell you everything about it and what you can make with it.
Two of these emerging textiles - which you can use for underwear, for example are made of bamboo and MicroModal. But how are these substances actually made and what can you use them for?
Both textiles are made by the Austrian company Lenzing AG. Bamboo is extremely suitable for making, for example, men's underwear, shirts and briefs for women. MicroModal is a fabric that is perfect for underwear and polo shirts.
The Tencel Lyocell MicroModal fibers are extracted from beech wood and the bamboo textile fibers from the bamboo plant. Lenzing AG grows both materials in environmentally friendly nurseries.
How is bamboo textile made?
The bamboo fibers are chemically extracted from the easy-growing bamboo stems. To initiate this process, the cellulose of the bamboo is broken down and turned into a viscous and gel-like material. Rayon yarn is then spun from this and the fabric viscose cellulose is created.
Only the by-products and chemicals used in this process - such as carbon disulfide and sodium hydroxide - are quite polluting.
It is possible to make all kinds of sustainable bamboo garments from viscose cellulose, such as t-shirts, spaghetti tops or even a comfortable thong, women's boxer shorts or a tight and perfectly fitting men's boxer shorts. By choosing bamboo, you can be sure that you have a durable, comfortable and beautiful piece of clothing that you will enjoy for a long time.
Is the use of bamboo textiles sustainable and environmentally friendly?
The great thing about bamboo is that it grows quickly, needs little water and you don't need pesticides to grow it. A little sunlight is enough. The bamboo plant does the rest.
When the bamboo has enough length, it is cut and processed into fibres. The mother stem of the plant creates new stems after pruning, so that the bamboo can be harvested several times. This makes it a durable fabric for making men 's and women's underwear, for example . And a men's t-shirt with the perfect fit can also be made with the bamboo fiber.
How is MicroModal textile made?
Another way to make more sustainable clothing is to use MicroModal textiles. This type of textile is extracted from beech wood. But how exactly does this process work?
Well, the cellulose is obtained through a chemical process. This cellulose is then flattened and processed into large white slabs, then it is placed in caustic soda, then crumbled into smaller parts, soaked in carbon disulphide and finally you can spin it into yarn.
With this yarn you can make a nice polo shirt, a super soft thong or a perfectly fitting men's briefs.
The environmental friendliness and sustainability of MicroModal textiles
This process is a lot faster and less harmful to the environment than when obtaining bamboo textiles. It is also only mined in developed countries and the working conditions are therefore always good.
Another good thing is that the MicroModal fiber is completely biodegradable, that little water and energy is needed for the extraction and that there is a whopping 99.6% recovery of resources in the production process. Your discarded men's boxer shorts therefore does not harm the environment.
Some waste water is released, but this is not harmful to the environment. This is also the reason that the MicroModal ® fiber has the EU eco-label. So you know for sure that you are purchasing a sustainable and environmentally friendly fabric!
And the beech wood used for the Tencel Lyocell MicroModal ® fibers comes from sustainable beech tree nurseries with the FSC quality mark. This abbreviation stands for Forest Stewardship Council. It means that the wood has been harvested and processed in a responsible and environmentally friendly way.
That is always a nice thought when you put on your new polo shirt, women's briefs or boxer shorts. That with this choice of clothing you contribute to a cleaner environment.
The advantages of MicroModal textiles
In addition to being a sustainable type of textile, MicroModal textiles have even more advantages. For example, it is incredibly soft - due to the thinness of the fiber - and it hardly shrinks.
These synthetic fibers are also colorfast and easy to indicate a color. The possibilities of MicroModal textiles are therefore endless and you can enjoy them for a long time.
In addition, it is moisture-wicking, light, breathable and quick-drying. It is therefore an ideal fabric for all kinds of clothing, such as our wonderfully fitting, breathable and available in many colors polo shirts for men with which you can look fashionable in no time - and our underwear for men and women.
Artificial and yet natural?
The MicroModal textile fiber is also an artificial fiber, because the producer still has a number of steps to take. But because it is made from natural raw materials, in this case from sustainable beech trees, it is also called a semi-synthetic fabric.
This may sound a bit double, a natural man-made fiber, but it is what it is. In this case, the natural material of the beech tree is broken down into a gel-like substance. After this it is possible - after a complicated chemical process - to make new fibers with which you can make all kinds of clothing such as men's underwear.
Washing and ironing of bamboo textiles and MicroModal textiles
The nice thing about fabrics such as MicroModal textiles and bamboo textiles is that they have antibacterial properties. Washing at lower temperatures is therefore an option. This is good for the environment and for your energy costs. A wash at 30 degrees is enough to clean your boxer shorts, slip, shirt or thong.
In addition, these fabrics are wrinkle-resistant, dimensionally stable and anti - static. It is therefore not necessary to iron your bamboo shirt or polo shirt made of MicroModal after washing.
When do you buy new underwear?
But when is it really time to buy new underwear? And do you choose a boxer made of bamboo or a MicroModal boxer? Or do you just go for a decent men's briefs?
The most logical and easiest answer is: if there are holes in your underpants or if the fabric is completely worn out. Everyone will then understand that it is time to buy new women's or men's underwear.
But did you know that underwear also has an expiration date? Not as with foodstuffs, of course, but it is still advisable to replace them after about a year.
When you wear it, bacteria get into the fabric. These will come out during washing, but after a while there will still be remnants in the underwear, no matter how well and warm you wash. This is inevitable. These bacteria can cause (bladder) infections, infections and other things that you do not want.
That's why we recommend that you change your underwear - be it a thong, boxer or slip - every year. If you choose, for example, our MicroModal or bamboo underwear, then you also know for sure that you are opting for a sustainable option. So this is a win-win situation.