Did you know that Bamboo can grow 47 inches in 24 hours and 78½ feet high in 40 to 50 days and it absorbs 2/3 more carbon dioxide and releases 2/3 more oxygen than any other plant on earth?
While I knew Bamboo is naturally anti-bacterial, I didn't realize that Bamboo is the fastest growing timber plant on earth and requires no fertilizers to grow. Bamboo also regenerates (cut one stalk and two will grow in its place) with a short harvesting cycle. For more insights on Bamboo: http://tinyurl.com/yjzltxh
Fairfield has recently introduced a new line of Bamboo batting, called Fusi-Boo! It is the first fusible batting made with a special blend of natural cotton and rayon fibers made from bamboo. Fusi-Boo has the benefits of Nature-Fil Bamboo batting with a non-toxic, water soluble fusible resin. The benefit is that there is no need to baste your quilt, plus you get the knowledge that your batting is safe for the environment.
I've just been able to evaluate "little" samples of this batting. It is very lightweight and scrunches with a nice feel. I'm hoping to be able to quilt a laptop charity quilt with this batting soon, and I'll share more insights after I've been able to actually quilt with this batting, as well as wash a quilt with it. Ultimately, I'm trying to assess all the different Bamboo battings on the market to understand the differences, as well as how Bamboo battings compare to more traditional battings. But I certainly do like the thought that Bamboo battings are "green" friendly!
If you have any experience with Bamboo battings, I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to add comments below, or email me.
15 comments:
I have used bamboo batting in many of my quilts and I love it. It has an amazing drape to it. I do find that it fuzzes more than cotton, so don't wear black while you're quilting, and you have a lot of little fuzzballs to remove after washing it the first time, but otherwise it is unbeatable.
Definitely has a great drape to it. When adjusting a quilt sandwich, it does get more linty and sticks to the fabric. It keeps you warm, natural and I like it just as much as the cotton batting.
Interesting. I do like fusible battings, but have had a certain other brand ruin a quilt before.
I may have to find some of this and try it. I look forward to your findings!
I will be real interested to hear about your finished project. I've been thing about Bamboo batting and I love the fusible part. I did research bamboo for flooring and cabinets and found that the bamboo part is green, but the process for making the wood is far from green. Please post when you make your quilt, meanwhile I'm going to take a look at this batting. Thanks.
My experiences are the same as previous posts -great drape, beards with hand quilting. I've also shared Stormy Day's concerns about the processing. I'll be interested to know more on that topic.
I love Bamboo batting and use it for those with warm-weather homes in my family. i.e. Hawaii, Florida, California.
since starting using bambo batting for my baby quilts (because of being better for allergies and such) i fell in love with it. now that i realise thanks to you that it's a green option, never again will i use other type of batting.
I'll be interested to hear what you think of the bamboo batting after using it..I was thinking yesterday I would like to try it. Wouldn't it be nice if the battings were packaged in a re-usable cloth bag rather than plastic?
I used a bamboo/organic cotton batting in a throw quilt I made a couple of years ago. It only bearded through one of the fabrics after washing (must have been a cheaper piece I picked up on sale or something). But it's a cozy little quilt -- I'm a fan of bamboo batting.
I will have to see if they carry this in the UK...looks neat!
Micki
I did hear that the process of making the bamboo usable as a fabric or batting is quite toxic. I don't remember where I heard that though.
The chemical heavy part of making bamboo a textile is in the bleaching process. And the process of breaking down the bamboo in usable pulp can be quite toxic. Yet when compared to cotton these things may just drops in the pond to a greener world.
I used bamboo/cotton batting and I really enjoyed quilting it. It was very easy to move around and I liked the way the quilt felt when it was all done. I would have no problem using it again.
I purchased this product at a quilt show. I have a wall hanging ready to machine quilt, but haven't gotten any further with the process. Looks like it has lots of potential.
I love the drape and lightness of bamboo. What I understand though about the "antibacterial" part is that when bamboo is processed into the pulp to make the batting, it can be done by machinery or more commonly by chemicals. The chemicals negates any of those properties and also makes it no longer an environmentally friendly batting. If we could change the manufacturing process to ensure it isn't processed with the chemicals, we might be able to change that. To my knowledge, there are very few "green" battings on the market. I think it's important that we find out about the manufacturing process and make the demands that bring change. Many of the manufactureres are willing to hear our comments and concerns and it may be possible! I do like the bamboo cotton batting though. I don't use it in a fusibel form though because I find the regular product clings to the fabric nicely.
Post a Comment