Sustainable Production
With Bamboo Belgium I design and produce stylish, timeless and sustainable bamboo clothing: my own collection, private label, co-creation and work and sports clothing.
Locally produced slow fashion in Portugal for a target group of environmentally friendly consumers.
Each step in the production process from A to Z has been made as fair, sustainable and transparent as possible.
Thanks in part to:
- fair wages and working conditions in Portugal
- Produced by small scale businesses within 100km radius
- Energy and water sparing processes
- Sold exclusively within Europe.
- Lifespan increasing choices
- No plastic packaging
But the work is never finished, because we are continually trying to improve our sustainability.
Sustainable Production
With Bamboo Belgium I design and produce stylish, timeless and sustainable bamboo clothing: my own collection, private label, co-creation and work and sports clothing.
Locally produced slow fashion in Portugal for a target group of environmentally friendly consumers.
Each step in the production process from A to Z has been made as fair, sustainable and transparent as possible.
Thanks in part to:
- fair wages and working conditions in Portugal
- Produced by small scale businesses within 100km radius
- Energy and water sparing processes
- Sold exclusively within Europe.
- Lifespan increasing choices
- No plastic packaging
But the work is never finished, because we are continually trying to improve our sustainability.
“We don’t realise that clothes go halfway around the world in production, before they arrive in the shop”.
Around the world
Clothing production can clock up to 23,000 km. The spinning, weaving, dying and stitching can take in as many as four different countries over different continents too.
Source: Oneworld.nl
Photo Fleur Hogenkamp
portugal <100KM
Bamboo Belgium’s production happens via five local partners. All partners are located within a within only a 100km radius.
The production process from A to Z
The production process from A to Z
Sustainable pulp
Until now only the bamboo pulp comes from bamboo fields in China. For the rest, the whole production process takes place in Portugal.
Our partner in China has a certificate/ is certified for sustainable cultivation and makes use of a ‘close the loop’ process.
This implies that:
- Bamboo pulp is cultivated with sodium in the water.
- Waste water is neutralised and recycled.
Within 5 years the aim is to build our own pulp factory in Portugal, working in partnership with our partner Bamboo Logic. Eventually so that locally grown bamboo can be processed directly into pulp.
Sustainable pulp
Until now only the bamboo pulp comes from bamboo fields in China. For the rest, the whole production process takes place in Portugal.
Our partner in China has a certificate/ is certified for sustainable cultivation and makes use of a ‘close the loop’ process.
This implies that:
- Bamboo pulp is cultivated with sodium in the water.
- Waste water is neutralised and recycled.
Within 5 years the aim is to build our own pulp factory in Portugal, working in partnership with our partner Bamboo Logic. Eventually so that locally grown bamboo can be processed directly into pulp.
Dry Spun
Did you know that to produce one t-shirt around 2,700 litres of water is needed?
That is about the same as 2.5 years of drinking water for one person.
For jeans between 8,000 and 20,000 litres of water is needed, about the same as 200 showers.
This is the reason that Bamboo Belgium works together with our partner Vera, because they use the dry spun technique, to implement large scale water savings in the production process.
In other words, we spin without using water.
Dry Spun
Did you know that to produce one t-shirt around 2,700 litres of water is needed?
That is about the same as 2.5 years of drinking water for one person.
For jeans between 8,000 and 20,000 litres of water is needed, about the same as 200 showers.
This is the reason that Bamboo Belgium works together with our partner Vera, because they use the dry spun technique, to implement large scale water savings in the production process.
In other words, we spin without using water.
bAWARE Score
Om de ecologische voetafdruk meetbaar te verkleinen met duurzame bamboekleding werken we samen om de impact van textiel transparant en toegankelijk te maken voor alle stakeholders in de supply chain. Op basis van de Be Aware-score berekenen, verifiëren en rapporteren we eenvoudig en onafhankelijk de duurzame impact van Bamboo Belgium kleding. Dit resulteert in indrukwekkende cijfers, omdat we de Co2 uitstoot drastisch verminderen. Nu produceren we met slechts 27 liter water een Bamboo Belgium t-shirt ten opzichte van 2700 liter bij een niet-duurzaam t-shirt. Sterker nog: dankzij het aanplanten van onze eerste eigen bamboevelden in België in 2023 gaan we Co2 neutraal bamboe kleding produceren. Hierdoor geven we niet alleen Co2 terug aan de aarde, maar ook land voor meer bamboe.
Ricardo, our Weaver
First the spun yarn goes to our weaver, Ricaro to make the Jersey, Sweat or Satin fabric. For a soft, comfortable, elastic and light feeling when wearing.
Next the fabric goes to the dyer and from there back to the weaver, for a special finishing touch to prevent pilling.
Both the choice of a quality dye and the piling finish by the weaver, ensures a longer wear lifespan.
Sustainable bamboo clothing from Bamboo Belgium lasts at least 2 x as long as high quality clothing. You can easily wear a t-shirt for 5 years, using it once or twice per week.
Ricardo, our Weaver
First the spun yarn goes to our weaver, Ricaro to make the Jersey, Sweat or Satin fabric. For a soft, comfortable, elastic and light feeling when wearing.
Next the fabric goes to the dyer and from there back to the weaver, for a special finishing touch to prevent pilling.
Both the choice of a quality dye and the piling finish by the weaver, ensures a longer wear lifespan.
Sustainable bamboo clothing from Bamboo Belgium lasts at least 2 x as long as high quality clothing. You can easily wear a t-shirt for 5 years, using it once or twice per week.
“Bamboo Belgium made a a conscious choice to produce in Western Europe, because these countries have chosen to sign a treaty that stands for human rights”.
Ecological Dye
In order to prolong the quality and life of bamboo clothing, we dye the bamboo clothing as ecologically as possible.
Because did you do that usually for cheaper clothing environmentally polluting cheap fabric dyes full of chemicals are used?
We don’t support this, because on top of the enormous amount of environmental pollution, everyday you are wearing chemicals on your skin.
Our aim is to be good for people, animals and the environment
Ecological Dye
In order to prolong the quality and life of bamboo clothing, we dye the bamboo clothing as ecologically as possible.
Because did you do that usually for cheaper clothing environmentally polluting cheap fabric dyes full of chemicals are used?
We don’t support this, because on top of the enormous amount of environmental pollution, everyday you are wearing chemicals on your skin.
Our aim is to be good for people, animals and the environment.
Artisinal Production
Bamboo Belgium consciously chose not to work with mass production, where profit maximization is key.
The magic of artisinal production in each step of the process is more valuable to us to give more care and to become more sustainable.
- We make samples, draw patterns and cut fabric by hand.
- The bamboo clothing is stitched together by a permanent stitching team
- During the production process, ironing and packing our Quality Manager Leonor oversees quality controls to make sure that our bamboo clothing arrives to you in perfect condition.
Artisinal Production
Bamboo Belgium consciously chose not to work with mass production, where profit maximization is key.
The magic of artisinal production in each step of the process is more valuable to us to give more care and to become more sustainable.
- We make samples, draw patterns and cut fabric by hand.
- The bamboo clothing is stitched together by a permanent stitching team
- During the production process, ironing and packing our Quality Manager Leonor oversees quality controls to make sure that our bamboo clothing arrives to you in perfect condition.
Logistics
Through our local production, within a 100km radius and also through efficient slow transport we are reducing our transport costs and our Co2 emissions.
Transportation and delivery takes longer with us than you might be used to from other suppliers. Here, we are also choosing the most sustainable option.
Mostly we produce to order, which means we only have a small clothing stock. The distribution for Southern Europe goes direct from the factory. Distribution in Northern Europe runs via Belgium.
For transportation to the shops the bamboo clothing is packaged minimally and completely plastic free, in recycled tissue paper.
In the future we would like to explore moving to electric trucks.
Logistics
Through our local production, within a 100km radius and also through efficient slow transport we are reducing our transport costs and our Co2 emissions.
Transportation and delivery takes longer with us than you might be used to from other suppliers. Here, we are also choosing the most sustainable option.
Mostly we produce to order, which means we only have a small clothing stock. The distribution for Southern Europe goes direct from the factory. Distribution in Northern Europe runs via Belgium.
For transportation to the shops the bamboo clothing is packaged minimally and completely plastic free, in recycled tissue paper.
In the future we would like to explore moving to electric trucks.
Bamboo News
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Join the future
Slow fashion from bamboo
Start making a difference in the clothing industry today?
Join the future
Slow fashion from bamboo
Start making a difference in the clothing industry today?
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