top of page

Bamboo dishcloth – the best eco-friendly alternative to cotton and microfibres. Biodegradable, naturally antimicrobial and odour-resistant. 100% vegan.

 

Bamboo Dishcloth: The best eco friendly dishcloth

Keep your home and the planet clean with our bamboo dishcloth. It can be composted so the bamboo can return to the earth and it is naturally odour resistant. Therefore, it’s beneficial not just for you but also for the environment.

 

A lot of people don’t realise their dishcloths are made out of microfibers, which are actually made out of plastic. We introduced the bamboo dishcloth as the eco-friendly alternative. Even cotton dishcloths require a huge amount of resources to grow the cotton.

 

What is a bamboo dishcloth?

Some eco friendly swaps are difficult to use but for the bamboo dishcloth you will find it very easy. It is just like a microfibre dishcloth but without the microplastics! The material is almost 100% rayon bamboo fibre but it has a small amount of cotton, which is necessary to act as a base layer.

 

Origins

The bamboo is grown organically in Fujian, China. The bamboo grows extremely quickly even without pesticides. This means minimal land and water are required to produce one dishcloth.

Firstly the harvested bamboo is cut into smaller pieces. Next the bamboo is soaked in a solution using a closed loop process, which breaks down the bamboo fibres. Parchment-like sheets are produce as the bamboo pulp is extracted. These sheets are milled into a fluffy material called viscose from bamboo. Lastly this material is separated, spun into a thread and weaved into a bamboo dishcloth.

The working conditions of the factory are good and comply with the local labour laws.

 

The factory packs the dishcloths into cardboard boxes containing 50 dishcloths. These boxes are placed in a larger boxes before being shipped economically by sea. This means that the only plastic used is the paper tape. No bubble wrap is used in the supply chain.

 

4 Things you probably don’t know about microfibre dishcloths (and why it’s the worst for the environment!)

  • Microfibre dishcloths are 100% plastic.
  • Furthermore, natural gas is used to spin the plastic into a piece of fabric.
  • Millions of microplastics come off the fabric while it is in use.
  • These plastics infect our waterways and enter food chains in the ocean.

 

What’s wrong with cotton dishcloths?

  • Cotton is a thirsty plant, it needs tons of water to grow.
  • 20,000 litres of water are needed to grow 1 kg of cotton.
  • As it’s such a popular crop, farmers are forced to grow cotton in areas that get little rainfall. This requires irrigation, diverting water from rivers, which has had devastating effects on the environment.
  • Production of cotton takes up 24% of the world’s pesticide use.

 

7 Amazing Facts about Bamboo Dishcloth

Still using cotton dishcloths? Here’s why you will love bamboo even more!

1.) Bamboo is naturally bacteria resistant.  Using bamboo helps prevent germs from multiplying.

2.) It’s odour resistant. Since bamboo can fight bacteria in a natural way, it means it can get rid of odour too!

3.) Studies show that bamboo is 40% more absorbent than cotton.

4.) In addition to that fact, bamboo also dries five times faster.

5.) Even the finest cotton can’t compete with organic bamboo. Bamboo can hold three times more of its own weight than cotton. This means it soaks up soapy dish water to clean your dishes properly.

6.) It’s more breathable than cotton.

7.) Bamboo is also hypoallergenic. This list of benefits goes on!

 

What makes bamboo the best alternative?

  • It causes less plastic waste.
  • It can go in the washing machine over and over again.
  • It is produced in closed circuit conditions to prevent pollution.
  • Bamboo can replenish itself, making it a highly renewable plant.
  • It grows faster and uses minimal resources as it grows organically.
  • The fibre can be composted and is also biodegradable.
  • While growing, the bamboo removes carbon dioxide from the environment.

 

How to wash a bamboo dishcloth?

You can put it in the washing machine at 30 degrees Celsius.

 

Frequently asked questions

Is the dishcloth vegan?

Yes, it is vegan!

 

Is the dishcloth suitable as a facecloth?

While it is not designed for this purpose, some customers think it is soft enough. In fact, one of our wholesale customers does sell it as a facecloth.

 

How does the bamboo dishcloth prevent the build up of bacteria?

Bamboo is naturally antimicrobial so it does help fight off bacteria. But by machine washing the dishcloth when it is particularly dirty, you can kill all the bacteria. Of course using the dishcloth is hot soapy dish water will usually prevent bacteria build up too.

 

What does the texture feel like?

When the dishcloth is dry, the surface is uneven and slightly rough. However, once it is wet, the dishcloth is smooth and a bit thicker than most dishcloths.

 

How do you dispose of the dishcloth?

We don’t have an exact lifetime for the dishcloth because it depends how often it is used and for what. However, we can say that it will go through the washing machine many times (at 30 degrees celsius). Once it is at the end of it’s life the dishcloth can be composted at home (though we don’t have certification for this) and will fully biodegrade.

 

What are the dimensions?

For the white dishcloths the dimensions are 22.5cm x 18.5cm. For the other colours the dimensions are 23.1cm x 17.8cm.

Bamboo dishcloths

SKU: PLU 0221
£1.45Price
Colour
  • Plastic Phobia distributes zero waste products such as bamboo soap dishes and coconut bowls.

    They are based in Sheffield, UK, and are a member of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce. The company was founded in 2018 while their founder, Tom, was a student.

    Steel straws are so common now but back in May 2018 they were unheard of. Whilst studying at university their founder Tom, discovered steel straws and wanted to make them more accessible to replace plastic straws.

    Plastic Phobia have grown so fast because of their efficient customer service and our ability to supply environmental products from sustainable sources. 4 months after the initial idea (and after lots of hard work), Tom dropped out of university to focus on Plastic Phobia full time. Expanding the product range to make a zero waste lifestyle easier.

    Often a product is changed or a new product introduced, based entirely on the feedback from a customer. In the future, they plan to be more innovative designing their range. They make a reduced waste lifestyle more convenient.

    Plastic Phobia sources eco-friendly products that also have an green supply chain. No greenwashing. No hidden cost to the environment. Just guilt free products.

bottom of page