Reducing our footprint
Thank you for asking, given that's this is the reason that Pulse Apparel exists.
There are many significant benefits of Bamboo - both for the environment, and for you, the downstream consumer of Bamboo clothing. That said, we want to talk about how we impact our planet.
Environmental Impact
There is no perfectly sustainable fabric; everything has a cost to the environment. However, Bamboo naturally does an exceptional job minimizing the negatives associated with apparel production. Here are a few:
Renewable Growth: Bamboo grows incredibly fast, up to 3 feet per day, and all you have to do to harvest is cut it down. It naturally grows back up! It's the fastest growing grass species on the planet.
Water Saving: Bamboo is a more sustainable plant than almost any on the planet. Bamboo only needs sun and rainwater to grow. Cotton needs irrigation. For the production of 1 kilo of cotton, a total of 10,000 liters of water is needed (source: Better Cotton Initiative). In comparison, the production of 1 kilo of bamboo saves more than 7,000 liters of water. It also has no natural pests, meaning it can be grown without pesticides or herbicides, whereas cotton often requires a large amount of both to maintain growth.
Cleaning the Air: Bamboo absorb 5 times more carbon and produce 35% more oxygen that an equivalent stand of trees, making them an excellent tool in the battle against greenhouse gases and climate change.
Minimizes Land Usage: Bamboo is extremely efficient with the space in which it grows. Compared to cotton, bamboo grows 30 times faster and the roots remain in the soil, after which the plant grows again. Soil erosion is therefore prevented and less square meters of farmland is needed. This stops deforestation and, for example, gives space to growing food.
Biodegradable: Bamboo fibers break down naturally, reducing environmental impact. While our products (and essentially all of the Bamboo apparel industry) aren't 100% bamboo due to durability issues, we're currently at 84% bamboo fiber and are pushing for a higher % as we work to develop more sustainable production.
Your decision to wear bamboo has a positive, sustainable influence on the world. Albeit that influence is small, Pulse Apparel believes that small choices add up to big change. That's what we care about.
Ethical Sourcing
These days, production of any textile can have potentially devastating environmental and humanitarian impacts. That's why we have sourced a very specific type of Bamboo Fiber, Tanboocel ®. Our sourcing and production have met and exceeded international standards, and we're proud to outline a few of them here:
How the Bamboo Fiber Production Process Works
One of the most important parts of Tanboocel® Bamboo Fiber the process is all recyclable. We process in a hermetic container where 100% of the chemicals that are used are trapped and contained - not released into our factory, environment or atmosphere. 73% of CS2’s are recycled, 26% are recycled into H2SO4. So those chemicals do not pollute any part of the environment. Each step of the process is watched for many reasons: Company policy, brand commitment, and strict environmental ethical standards. Lyocell, as shown in the above, is simply the type of Bamboo fabric.
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Certifications
FSC certification ensures that products come from responsibly managed forests that prioritize environmental and social sustainability. In an FSC-certified forest, logging practices are carefully regulated to maintain the forest's health and biodiversity. This ensures that our bamboo fiber for Pulse Apparel is sourced without causing habitat destruction or loss.
The Tanboocel yarns used in our products are OEKO-TEX 100 certified. OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 is a label for textiles tested for harmful substances. It sets the benchmark for textile safety, from yarn to finished product. Every item bearing the STANDARD 100 label is certified as having passed safety tests for the presence of harmful substances.
