Bamboo Diaper Types

Disposable diapers with 100% bamboo top and back sheets are available from several brands. Bamboo diapers for babies? Are premium bamboo disposable diapers worth the extra cost? Bamboo diapers: benefits and cons? What is bamboo fiber? To understand bamboo disposable diapers and why they’re so popular, let’s get started!

Bamboo fiber?

Bamboo plants produce bamboo fiber.

Bamboo, a grass, is durable like wood. A versatile grass that may be made into delicate cloth or strong construction material.

Bamboo viscose makes up most bamboo-based materials worldwide. Disposable bamboo diapers use bamboo viscose.

Bamboo viscose is termed semi-natural because bamboo pulp is processed into fiber. (Bamboo fiber is also called “regenerated cellulosic fiber”—more on that technique below.)

Disposable diapers employ non-woven bamboo viscose. This means that instead of being woven or knitted, the fibers are organized or entangled and bound by thermal, mechanical, or chemical processes. Nonwoven fabric is useful for single-use applications since it is weaker than woven or knitted materials.

Bamboo viscose production.

Bamboo pulp is broken down into a viscose solution by chemical solvents like sodium hydroxide and carbon disulfide (hence the name, bamboo viscose). An acidic substance solidifies the fibrous filaments created by forcing the liquid mixture through a spinneret (a device with small pores). Stretched fibers are washed, bleached/dyed, dried, and spun into yarns.

Using natural enzymes instead of chemical solvents to make bamboo fiber is rare and produces a less soft fabric than viscose.

The textile industry uses sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) extensively. The Global Organic Textile Standard approves this chemical compound for cotton processing, including organic cotton (GOTS). The viscose fiber-making process neutralizes sodium hydroxide, so it does not remain on the fibers.

Carbon disulfide evaporates when exposed to air. Decompression force-evaporates any remaining bits during processing. Carbon disulfide is extracted before the viscous mass passes through the spinning nozzles.

The acid bath utilized at the end of viscose production is mostly sulfuric acid. The diluted acid solution hardens extruded fiber filaments to cellulose. Rinsing removes any acid.

Baby-safe bamboo viscose?

Some bamboo diapers and bamboo viscose textiles are OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified. OEKO-TEX certifications can help assess product safety, especially if they are created outside North America or Europe where there may be less regulation.

The highest risk of exposure to chemicals used in viscose manufacturing is inhalation by workers, followed by the environment. If not properly managed, bamboo viscose manufacturing byproducts can pollute the air and water around the factory.

However, most materials are manufactured this way today across all industries. Plastic or other fiber disposable diapers have similar issues. Cotton farming and processing can hurt farmers, processors, and the environment.

However, a closed-loop production technique that catches and reuses most of the chemicals and water required to make viscose can lessen the environmental effect of bamboo fibers.