Bamboo Clothing for Sensitive Skin, Eczema, and Allergies – Why Bamboo Is Best
Short answer: For sensitive skin, eczema and allergies, bamboo viscose is one of the best choices, because the fabric is smooth, has no scratchy fibres and moves moisture away from the skin instead of leaving it there. Start with what touches the skin all day or all night: underwear, t-shirts, nightwear and bedding.
Why the fabric makes a difference
Skin is irritated by three things in clothing: friction, moisture and chemistry. Bamboo viscose is smooth and has no sharp fibre ends, so friction is low. The material moves moisture away from the skin, and dry skin is less irritated and gives bacteria poorer conditions. And because the fibre is smooth, less finishing is needed to make the fabric soft. Synthetic fibres such as polyester, acrylic and nylon do the opposite: they hold on to moisture and rub more.
Start where the fabric touches the skin longest
You get the most effect from changing the clothing that sits directly on the skin for many hours. That is underwear, which is why bamboo underwear for women and bamboo underwear for men are the first place to begin. Next comes the t-shirt, which covers the back and shoulders where eczema often sits, and the whole range is under bamboo t-shirt for women.
The night matters more than the day
At night the fabric lies against the skin for seven or eight hours at a stretch, and the body gives off moisture the whole time. That is why many people with eczema find the itching is worst at night. Both bamboo nightwear for women and bamboo bedding work against that: the fabric moves the moisture away, and the smooth surface does not rub the skin when you turn over.
Feet and socks
The foot in a closed shoe is the place on the body where moisture and heat gather most, and that is a classic cause of itching and irritation. A bamboo sock keeps the foot drier than a cotton one and has a softer cuff that does not cut into the calf. You will find them under bamboo socks for women, and that is often the cheapest way to test the material before you replace anything else.
How to make it work
Wash new clothing before you wear it, use a mild detergent without perfume and leave out the fabric softener, which is both a source of perfume and a way to close off the moisture transport. Wash at thirty degrees and dry gently. Change one thing at a time so you can tell what helps. The full range sits under bamboo for women, where the material is listed on every item.
Frequently asked questions
Is bamboo good for eczema
Many people find it is, because the fabric is smooth, rubs little and keeps the skin dry. It is not a treatment, but it removes three of the things that make eczema worse.
Can you be allergic to bamboo viscose
It is very rare. Reactions to clothing come more often from dyes, perfume in the detergent or the finishing than from the fibre itself.
What should I change first
Whatever touches the skin longest. Underwear during the day and bedding at night make the biggest difference for most people.
See our range of Copenhagen Bamboo.
