[Rodney]

In another thread about soft/quality blank t-shirts, AirThreadz posted about a "new" type of clothing made out of Bamboo:

check out www.bambooclothes.com
Bamboo is the softest fabric I've felt in a t'shirt.
They aren't necessarily cheap, but the folks there set me up with wholesale prices on small orders, and the quality is TOP OF THE LINE!!!

I ended up ordering a sample from them and I have to say, he's right! They aren't inexpensive, but they are some SUPER nice t-shirts.

BENEFITS:

• They are as soft (if not softer) than AlternativeApparel.

• They are heavier weight than AlternativeApparel/AmericanApparel (which is good if you don't prefer the lighter weight feel).

• They have a decent range of colors

• They are 100% organic: 70% organic bamboo and 30% organic cotton.

• Good sizing (not to tiny). I would say it runs "true" to normal sizing

• Naturally anti-bacterial

• Good moisture wicking / quick drying.

DRAWBACKS:

• They aren't inexpensive. Like AmericanApparel / AlternativeApparel / Continental, I would probably call them "premium" t-shirts as far as pricing.
  
  Like those brands, I'm sure you could pass the extra cost along to the customer by highlighting the strong points of the t-shirt.

• They wouldn't pass the "tight neck" lovers test (although I liked the fit of the neck).

• They aren't "fashion" sized like americanapparel/alternative apparel. Meaning they aren't "slim fitted" (which could be perfect for some, not good for others).

• They don't have a wide range of styles for the t-shirt (no hoodies, no slim fit style).

If you are out testing t-shirt blanks to see which will work best for your t-shirt line and you want something super soft, with a nice weight to it, and don't mind paying a "premium" price for a premium shirt, you should definitely check out www.bambooclothes.com

The sample I bought at retail price was about $17, and I have a feeling I'll be buying more for my personal wardrobe (even blank ones). With a printed design, I could see paying $20-$35 for the shirt. I think the challenge for online sellers would be to somehow convey HOW soft/comfortable the shirt is. In person, I think it would be an easy sell.

Have any other members tried this t-shirt?

 

[Jasonda]

I heard of these years ago, they sound great. I am gonna order some one of these days.

What color did you get? On their website the white ones look kind of transparent, I was wondering about that.

 

[Rodney]

What color did you get? On their website the white ones look kind of transparent, I was wondering about that.

I got chocolate brown. My next order will probably be black, white, and probably the bluish color.

I was wondering about the white shirt as well. Sometimes it's a challenge to find a good white t-shirt.

 

[jdr8271]

Do they wholesale them, or do you have to pay $17 for the shirt. That price is outragous to me. No t-shirt is worth that much.

 

[Rodney]

Do they wholesale them, or do you have to pay $17 for the shirt

They do wholesale them, $17 is the retail price. I don't know if they want their wholesale prices posted here, but if you email them, I think they'll send the info along.

As I mentioned above, they aren't inexpensive Even the wholesale price is higher than other t-shirt brands I've seen.

 

[T-BOT]

I think you can use unique items like this (with its concept) to make your store/site etc. stand out. Its more of a longer term client base build as the brand also grows, but the clients you do turn on to this item/brand and like it, they will come back and buy more from you. These are the best type of clients too because they are loyal.

I have always used unique items/brands to help me grow and establish a good client base.

Good clients don't mind paying a little extra. So if this brand is a little more money thats ok, because it offers a unique product. And thats worth a lot to any re-seller.

 

[Rodney]

Its more of a longer term client base build as the brand also grows, but the clients you do turn on to this item/brand and like it, they will come back and buy more from you.

Very true. I could see how someone would return to buy more products knowing they were printed on quality garments. The organic/wicking/bamboo uniqueness of it is a good selling point. Shoppers in that "niche" seem to understand the higher price.

I do wish the wholesale pricing was a bit less expensive though. Who knows, maybe they will work with you on pricing.

 

[Ross B]

This is enthralling! Sounds like bamboo could be a vital crop, once its qualities and uses become more widely known. I'm well aware that Asian countries have utilised it for centuries, but bamboo flooring etc has only relatively recently entered the scene commercially in Oz - can't speak for other western countries, but suspect it's much the same. I see now, though, that flooring ain't the half of it...

Carbon credit plantations are just starting to take off in Australia (about time we did something to address our goverment's shameful decision to hold out with the US as the only two nations not to sign the Kyoto protocol).

I've recently seen Al Gore's WONDERFULLY structured and presented, illuminating and downright frightening movie doco, An Inconvenient Truth. Should be compulsory viewing in all schools and especially in all parliaments. Not sure there's much hope for some politicians, though - one of the retards in the Australian Fed Govt responded to viewing Gore's doco by glibly declaring it "just light entertainment". Unfathomable foolishness and bias.

Anyway, carbon credit plantations of bamboo would surely be a superior and economically more lucrative proposition than the current plantings of ******** etc. I'm going to write to a few people and start hammering this.

Wish the Ts weren't so expensive, though!

 

[Jasonda]

If anyone else is interested in learning what else bamboo is being made into these days, treehugger is a good place to start:

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/01/top_five_bamboo.php

 

[Solmu]

There's also Bamboosa, who do socks, towels, baby clothes etc. as well as a slim fit and normal cut t-shirt. They're also made in the US if that matters (consequently they're also even more expensive; I don't know about wholesale prices).

Last time I looked into bamboo it wasn't viable yet, but it looks like things are improving. The plant seems to have a lot of similar properties to hemp, which is a good thing.

 

[webby]

There's also Bamboosa.

You beat me to the post, these shirts are amazingly soft.. even more so than organic cotton.

It seems that everyone here has been talking of the price of organic/bamboo style tees and how high it is. This is simple economics, there aren't nearly as many bamboo/organic cotton tee shirt suppliers as there are conventionally grown cotton tees. Bamboo is one of fastest growing plants and is completely sustainable... no chemicals to grow the plant and likely will produce more usable crop...

I'm glad to see this awareness and education coming to these forums, we have a lot to do as an industry, and changes to what 'we' are doing to the environment will have to come from a commitment of all of us to use more sustainable products and be more eco-friendly.

Look forward to seeing and responding to more posts regarding this subject.

 

[qcumber]

I don't know about bamboo T-shirts. But one of the softest/smoothest/most luxurious feel i have come accross is the "40s Fully Combed Interlock Cotton - Enzyme Washed". Anyone here heard of it?

In my experience so far, anyone who bought it, came back for more - even at premium prices. Here's a link about the Enzyme washed stuff

 

[Ross B]

webby

I think it's obvious why the bamboo fabric Ts are so much more expensive than the usual cotton, and that most here understand economy of scale. Unfortunately, though, regardless of the reasons, the extra expense involved in buying bamboo Ts is going to put a lot of people off, regardless of the softness and quality - at least initially.

Like you, I hope the bamboo industry takes off bigtime globally sooner rather than later. Any step towards a more sustainable, environmentally friendly future, is a step in the right direction, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[shirt-happens]

Hi there, I'm new to the forums. I've been planning my t-shirt site for ages now - it all started 3 years ago when I was 16! Anyway, since I'm just about to start my second year at Uni, I am putting the effort in to get my site and business up and running.

Anyway, regarding these bamboo t-shirts - they look pretty awesome! What I was wondering is, since I have a vinyl cutter and heat press, would I be able to heatpress designs onto these shirts? Or are they not suitable?

Also, I was wondering if anyone knows of any wholesalers/trade websites based in the UK - I don't really fancy paying international shipping!

Cheers,

Dan

P.S. Where's the link to edit my signature?

 

[Jasonda]

Also, I was wondering if anyone knows of any wholesalers/trade websites based in the UK - I don't really fancy paying international shipping!

I don't know if they do wholesale or not, but the "Bam" clothing brand is based in the UK.. Here is their website: http://www.bambooclothing.co.uk/

 

[Rodney]

Also, I was wondering if anyone knows of any wholesalers/trade websites based in the UK - I don't really fancy paying international shipping!

If you look in the wholesale t-shirts section of this forum and browse some of the past topics, you'll see discussions about UK wholesale t-shirt suppliers.
http://www.t-shirtforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=17

P.S. Where's the link to edit my signature?

http://www.t-shirtforums.com/usercp.php?

What I was wondering is, since I have a vinyl cutter and heat press, would I be able to heatpress designs onto these shirts? Or are they not suitable?

Back to the bamboo t-shirts topic

From the looks of it, the shirts seem like they would be perfect for all types of printing. But you could always buy one to test it out.

 

[gtsecc]

I think these are a rayon cotton blend shirt.
The rayon is simply made from the bamboo.

 

[Rodney]

I think these are a rayon cotton blend shirt.
The rayon is simply made from the bamboo.

Why do you think that?

 

[gtsecc]

Why do you think that?

Well, Rayon is made from natural materials, such as wood or bamboo.
The material is broken down with chemicals like alkali and carbon disulfide to extract the viscose.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Rayon_synth.png

But, the word rayon is stigmatized by people who think of it as a synthetic fiber,( which it is and it isn’t. ) So, making it out of bamboo, and calling it some sort of bamboo fiber is technically true, but in reality it is a marketing campain to get around the the perception of rayon as a synthetic fiber.

 

[Rodney]

So, making it out of bamboo, and calling it some sort of bamboo fiber is technically true, but in reality it is a marketing campain to get around the the perception of rayon as a synthetic fiber.

Interesting, thanks for the info on Rayon. That was going to be my next question

Are you sure that's what the bamboo shirts are "rayonized" bamboo, or is that just a guess based on the material and description?