Staying Cool When Summer Heats Up

There are so many fun things to do in the summertime: festivals, long walks, and just enjoying the outdoors! Although we love looking fashionable while we're out and about, when the temperatures rise it's all about comfort. While the general cut and style of your outfit is important, it's really the fabric that will keep you cool.

Choosing the right fabric for your warm-weather fashion statement is essential to keep you breezy and comfy so you can enjoy the summer season! In past articles, we discussed eco-friendly clothing and the nature of viscose bamboo. While the sustainability of bamboo products is without question, you probably weren't aware that beyond the super soft feel of bamboo fabric, it has some additional qualities that really make this fabric a great addition to the wardrobe on those hot, summer days. In fact, one of the "coolest" fabrics you'll come across is viscose bamboo.

It's not only breathable and delightfully soft. The fibers actually work hard to keep you cool by wicking moisture away from your skin so it can evaporate - no perspiring princesses here, thank you very much! Bamboo is also known for being the opposite of odor absorbing - it won't retain any unpleasant scents. It has amazing anti-odor qualities and, some even claim that if you typically have allergic reactions to certain fabrics, you might want to give bamboo a whirl. These beneficial properties also come in handy for those "on the go" situations. Ever notice how synthetic clothing holds odor when you sweat? Worse still, that odor is often hard to get out between washes. The cooling effect of bamboo combined with its anti-odor properties make it a great choice as athletic apparel or as part of your travel wardrobe.

But when choosing those bamboo clothing items for your eco wardrobe, you should make sure the viscose bamboo fabric meets two key certifications. Firstly, you should ensure the raw bamboo used to produce the staple fiber is sourced, harvested and certified as organic by either OCIA (The Organic Crop Improvement Association) or by NOP (the US National Organic Program). In addition, all bamboo fabric should be certified through Oeko-Tex 100 which is a very strict standard that protects the wearer by regulating the chemical quality of the final fabric. As an example, Oeko-Tex 100 strictly regulates a variety of unhealthy carcinogenic chemicals such as formaldheyde, azo dyes, pesticides, etc. These types of chemicals are commonly found at unhealthy levels in non-regulated, conventional clothing.

By ensuring your bamboo clothing meets these two criteria you will be certain that you have made a truly sustainable choice. And whether you're out running errands, traveling, enjoying the sunshine, or enjoying some quality "me" time, choosing to wear bamboo fibers will leave your skin soft, cool, and happy!


------

Fashion & Earth provides eco consumers with organic clothes at affordable prices. With their hassle free returns policy and, extremely popular Rewards Program you really have nothing to lose! Go ahead - check them out and experience the feeling of wearing bamboo clothing