Whether you’re a new parent or you’re still expecting your first baby, you will most likely need to shop for baby essentials at some point. Your baby’s layette should include bamboo products. Why? Let’s find out below.
When babies are born, they are completely unprepared for an independent existence. As parents, our task is to provide them with optimum conditions for development. A newborn’s skin requires special care, which depends not only on good hygiene and proper cosmetics, but also on the type and quality of materials in which you wrap your little one. Bamboo fabrics meet nearly all needs of babies’ delicate skin and clothes made from it bring optimum conditions for growth and development.
A newborn’s sensitive skin
A baby’s skin is so soft that proper care is indispensable to keep it healthy and in good shape. On one hand, you need to select proper cosmetics for your child, on the other, you need to think about suitable clothes and fabrics as most of the time they have direct contact with your baby’s skin. In this article, we’ll look into bamboo fabric in more detail.
Why is it worth choosing bamboo products?
Bamboo is cultivated mainly in Asia and South America. It is easy to grow and resistant to pests, which means that no plant protection products have to be used in the cultivation process. Bamboo grows very quickly – up to 1 meter per day. In 2–3 years, it’s ready to be cut, so it constitutes a quickly renewable resource. Bamboo fabric production process is also very easy, ecological and the fabric itself has unique properties: it’s soft and delicate yet very durable.
Bamboo fabric properties make it perfect for your baby’s skin. Let’s take a closer look at them!
Bamboo fabric:
- has antibacterial, antifungal and antistatic properties, which means that it’s dust-mite proof. It’s very important for a newborn’s skin since the majority of them suffer from irritations, prickly heat, abrasions, nappy rash or scratches in the first months of their life. Bamboo antiseptic properties limit the development of bacteria and microbes, which enables faster healing of wounds and skin damage.
- does not absorb unpleasant odours and stays fresh for longer;
- is naturally soft and delicate – it doesn’t have to be washed in any fabric softeners, enabling you to get rid of potential allergens or irritating ingredients; using fabric softeners is not recommended as they might clog the fabric’s micropores;
- is breathable – it allows the skin to breathe, just like silk does, but it’s more durable since it retains its properties even after having been washed multiple times (if you comply with laundry recommendations provided by the producer);
- has thermoregulatory properties, which means that it cools the body in the summer (it maintains a temperature lower by an average of 3 degrees than the ambient temperature); it’s highly practical as it prevents overheating and chafing;
- stops UV rays, protecting your baby’s delicate skin no matter the season;
- is 60% more absorbent than cotton, allowing you to dry your baby’s skin more quickly and easily;
- is ecological – growing bamboo doesn’t require any pesticides or plant protection products;
- is 100% biodegradable – it’s important from the point of being ecologically responsible. The majority of harmful substances may penetrate groundwater or be released into the air and subsequently contaminate the water or food consumed by your baby.
What we dress our little ones in is very important for their comfort and the quality of their sleep. From the very first days of their life, children spend approximately 95% of time being dressed. This is why your baby’s clothes should be pleasant in touch, ensure proper breathability and support skin’s natural processes.
Is bamboo fabric free of any disadvantages? Obviously not and you should be aware of them to make a conscious decision about the purchase and make sure that the selected piece of clothing will meet your baby’s needs.
What should you be aware of?
- the fabric is prone to creasing so the clothes made from it may not look “catalogue” perfect, however, it has no relevance for your baby’s comfort;
- bamboo is highly absorbent, so bamboo clothes will take a bit longer to dry;
- bamboo clothes and accessories should not be washed at high temperatures and aggressive chemical substances (which are not suitable for washing baby clothes at all);
- all bamboo fabric properties (such as durability, resistance to damage, absorbency and thermoregulatory functions) make bamboo clothes slightly more expensive compared to cotton clothes.
Certificate to guarantee safety
While selecting products to be worn by your baby, especially a newborn, you should remember to check their composition, origin and certificates, which are not just regular commercial marks. The OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certificate guarantees that a product is safe for your child’s health and that it doesn’t contain any harmful substances. Companies applying for the certificate need to agree to regular controls and unannounced audits by independent experts who will confirm the quality of products sold.
We are parents and we want the best for our children, therefore, we need to make conscious decisions to provide our little ones with comfort from the very first days of their life.
