CPSIA exemptions, why we don't sell "bamboo," and NearSea items up for auction
Breaking news from ApparelNews.net:
A new vote has exempted fabric and yarn from the lead testing and certification requirements for children's products under the Consumer Product Safety Commission's Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. The exemption, which is expected to go into effect within a matter of days, does not include snaps, buttons, zippers and the like. The result is that the final garment will still need to be tested.
I'm sure there'll be a more in-depth analysis at Fashion-Incubator soon, and I can't wait to hear what they have to say.
(keep reading for much more!)
If you've been following our Facebook page, you've seen that the FTC is cracking down on companies that are advertising items made from "bamboo fabric" and that talk about the marvelous properties of these bamboo fabrics. According to the FTC, the fabric is actually a rayon, not "bamboo", and it doesn't have any of the specially-advertised qualities that people claim. Read the articles below for more information:
- Press release from the FTC: FTC charges companies with "bamboo-zling" consumers with false product claims: Bamboo-based textiles, actually made of rayon, are not antimicrobial, made in an environmentally-friendly manner, or biodegradable
- The FTC asks: Have you been bamboozled by bamboo fabrics?
- Environmental Leader: FTC Charges clothing firms with Bamboo-zling the public. (There's an interesting comment from Bonnie from Jonano after the article on this page.)
- An article about how the Canadian Competition Bureau sees bamboo: Bamboo Fabric Lovers Glad or Sad?
We've been saying for years that bamboo makes a wonderful flooring, great dishes, marvelous baskets, and is splendid for so many applications in which it's used as a wood. It isn't, however, very good at all when turned into a fabric; it's not generally environmentally-friendly and it's not sustainable. And that, my friends, is why we don't carry bamboo fabrics at NearSea Naturals. (We sure do love our To-Go Ware, though!).
But what should you do if you're a manufacturer who uses bamboo fabrics? Yet again Fashion-Incubator comes to the rescue. In addition to encouraging you to rethink using bamboo, Kathleen discusses how incredibly important it is to correctly label your creations. I urge you to read the whole article, whether or not you're a manufacturer; this is merely one excerpt:
The FTC is concerned that consumers are being misled by greenwashing. Although rayon is a natural but man made fabric, rayon production is highly toxic (Avtex, the largest EPA Super Fund clean up site was a rayon plant). Of all the fabrics in the rayon family, lyocell is considered to be the most eco-friendly because Lenzing, the firm that manufacturers lyocell, has a certified closed loop system. While many bamboo producers claim they use a closed loop system, the claims are dubious for two reasons. The first is that lyocell is a proprietary process patented by Lenzig which has not licensed the process to any bamboo producers. Secondly, while it's possible bamboo producers have developed their own proprietary closed loop processes, no firms to date have permitted inspectors on site to verify these claims.
Oh, and on a fun note, we've donated several items to a local public radio station's online auction. This could be your opportunity to get some of our goodies at a very good price, while supporting a good cause too. Check out the following lots:
- Sewing For Toddlers Kit (and yes, it's sustainable/organic fabrics; that's just not mentioned in the auction. Oops!)
- Colcha Embroidery Yarn & Booklets
- Colorgrown Cotton Throw Blankets
- $75 Gift Certificate for Organic and Sustainable Yarns (or, really, anything else you might want from our store)
Comments
Thanks for a very insightful article! I hadn't heard of the problem before with bamboo fabric so I do appreciate your information!
Posted by: Kare | August 26, 2009 5:07 PM