There are a million different types of fabrics when it comes to baby clothes. Cotton, linen, wool, silk, polyester, nylon, jersey, cotton-blends, spandex-blends, silk-blends. . . and now, even bamboo! (Bamboo?!)

As a parent of a newborn,  there’s barely time to dress yourself, let alone spend hours of time researching which fabric is best for your little one. That’s why we’ve gone ahead and made a list of the benefits of bamboo—so you don’t have to!

We use bamboo fabric to design our baby pajamas, and we wouldn’t if we didn’t think it was the best. Here’s everything you need to know about bamboo pajamas to make the sustainable switch.

Why Bamboo Pajamas?

Bamboo Regulates Temperature

Bamboo fabrics are highly water absorbent, which make it wonderful for wicking (i.e., the process of pulling moisture away from the skin, so it can evaporate and not linger on the body). This makes bamboo ideal for preventing skin allergies. Bamboo fiber is also filled with micro-gaps, making it cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Bamboo is Antibacterial

This fabric possesses a property known as bamboo kun, which gives it a naturally occurring antibacterial and antifungal quality. Bamboo kun is known to stop odor-producing bacteria from growing in the fabric and allows clothing to remain fresher smelling. It has been shown to keep these properties even after multiple washes. 

Bamboo is Hypoallergenic

Bamboo kun keeps dust mites and other bugs away. It also repels a variety of viruses and infectious microorganisms (that can cause diseases). Bamboo is considered the safest material for babies.

Bamboo is Low Maintenance

“Working smarter, not harder” is the motto for parents of infants. Bamboo fabrics are made from smooth fibers with low pilling and wrinkling, giving them a longer life than most other fabrics. Although bamboo fabrics have a natural sheen (making them look and feel like silk), they can be machine-washed and dried in a dryer (or hung to dry). The micro-gaps in bamboo fabric make it quick-drying. It’s also anti-static!

Bamboo is Eco-Friendly

Bamboo is a sustainable resource, because it’s renewable, degradable, and grows quickly. Bamboo also uses only about one-third the amount of water needed to grow a cotton plant. So, a forest of bamboo will produce about 30% more oxygen than a grove of trees the same size. 

Bamboo is Non-Toxic

Because of how quickly it grows, bamboo also does not need fertilizers to grow. Cotton, on the other hand, uses about 25% of the world’s insecticides. Due to its composition, bamboo fabrics absorb dye better and faster than other fabrics. Much less dye is needed to give it color, which means much less toxins on clothing. 

Bamboo Doesn’t Break the Bank

Because bamboo is so durable and resilient as a fabric, you will need to purchase a lot less of it over a longer period of time compared to other fabrics that don’t last as long. On average, bamboo clothing lasts about 3 to 5 years. 

Bamboo has Built-in UV Protection

Studies in Singapore have shown that bamboo fibers protect babies from the Sun by cutting up to 98% of harmful UV rays. It’s the only natural fiber that has this unique property.   

Bamboo is the Best!

On the sustainability, comfort, aesthetic, and health scale, bamboo is rated higher than other fabric competitors. To us, it looks like bamboo is a clear winner! Say goodbye to the days where you had to stock up on multiple kinds of the same pajamas, because you know they’ll get worn out after a few washes. Bamboo is long-lasting and it’s a cute and soft cover for your baby’s skin. Your little one might not even realize that they are wearing clothes. With bamboo pajamas, it’s almost guaranteed that your infant will have a very comfortable and peaceful night—and that means you will, too!

How to Wash, Dry, and Care for Your Bamboo Pajamas

Treating, washing, and caring for bamboo pajamas are a breeze!

Washing

Pre-treating stains: 

Use a small amount of detergent on the soiled spot(s) to pre-treat any stains on the garment. Leave it there for 15 minutes before gently rubbing it out. For specific stains, use this guide to treat it accordingly. 

Selecting a detergent: 

Bamboo can be washed with your regular laundry (using your regular detergent). Just throw it in with the rest of your clothes! 

Of course, we suggest using a natural, non-toxic detergent for you and your children. Here’s a list of safe detergents we recommend. 

Prepping the clothes: 

Close all buttons and zippers and turn garments inside-out before loading the washer to prevent pilling.

Selecting the cycle: 

The gentle cycle is best for bamboo clothes to help maintain their sheen and suppleness. Use cold water for lightly soiled clothing. For heavily soiled items, select the warm temperature in your washer (not hot!). Allow the clothing to pre-soak for at least 15 minutes in warm water and detergent before washing to remove excess stains. (I personally find that gently rubbing the stain, without water, prior to washing also helps.) 

NEVER use hot water to wash bamboo clothes. Heat is bamboo fabric’s archnemesis—it causes shrinking! Don’t use high levels of heat for either washing or drying bamboo clothes.

Drying:

When it comes to drying your baby’s bamboo pajamas, you can choose between: 

1. The good old-fashioned hang-dry method (this is what we recommend)
1. Skip the dryer and go traditional with your baby’s pajamas. Pin them to a clothesline or hang them on a hanger (inside or outside) and be prepared to be impressed. It’s nothing like watching paint dry—bamboo fabric outperforms its competitors when it comes to quick drying.
2. The low-heat cycle on your dryer
1. While this is a bit more convenient, we’d only suggest this in a pinch for time. To preserve the quality and shape of your bamboo pajamas, it’s best to avoid this option. That being said, using the dryer once in a while won’t cause much damage to bamboo fabrics if you use the low-heat cycle.

Sources: 

1. https://greenlivingguy.com/2016/06/bamboo-a-renewable-resource/ 
2. file:///C:/Users/14845/Downloads/ANALYSIS_OF_PHYSICAL_CHARACTERISTICS_OF.pdf
3. https://extension.usu.edu/archive/bamboo-you-can-wear 
4. https://www.greenerlyfe.com/blog/how-long-does-bamboo-clothing-last-caring-is-important/#:~:text=On%20average%20bamboo%20clothing%20lasts,quality%20of%20the%20product%20itself.