Bamboo Underwear

Bamboo underwear — and why the material was chosen

Underwear is the garment with the most skin against fabric and the least air around it. That makes the choice of material matter more here than almost anywhere else in the wardrobe. Ours is sewn in bamboo viscose, and on this page we explain what that material actually is, and what it means when you're wearing it.

From bamboo to fabric

Bamboo viscose is made by dissolving the cellulose in the bamboo stems chemically and spinning it into new fibres. The fibre therefore ends up smooth and round rather than rough and irregular like a natural fibre. That is the whole explanation for the characteristic feel: there are fewer fibre ends that can prickle or itch, and the fabric glides against the skin instead of gripping it.

Because bamboo is the raw material you start with, but viscose the fibre you end up with, the care label says "viscose". It is the EU labelling rules that require the fibre to be named after the way it is made. The whole process is described in our material glossary under bamboo viscose.

What the material does in practice

Softness. The smooth fibre surface is why bamboo viscose feels softer than cotton of the same quality. It is usually the difference you notice first.

Moisture. Viscose takes up moisture faster than cotton and releases it again faster. In underwear that means the fabric doesn't stay clammy after a ride on the bike or a warm day at the office.

Odour. Here we need to be precise, because the industry rarely is. Many webshops write that bamboo is naturally antibacterial. The bamboo plant does indeed contain substances with that property, but they do not survive the chemical processing into viscose — the cellulose is dissolved completely and built up again as a new fibre. So we do not claim it.

The difference people notice is real, though, and the explanation is simple: odour arises when bacteria break down sweat, and bacteria need moisture. A material that moves moisture away and dries faster gives them worse conditions. Same result — just with an explanation that can be documented.

About the raw material and the processing

Here we have to be careful. Bamboo is a grass, and it is the cellulose in the stems that becomes the fibre. The processing into viscose uses chemicals, and how responsibly that happens varies considerably between producers. Our bamboo is FSC-certified, which covers the forestry — not the whole production chain. That's the honest version.

Fit and size

Underwear should sit close without squeezing. The legs should stay in place when you move, and the waistband shouldn't leave marks on the skin. If you're between two sizes, take the smaller one for a close fit and the larger one if you'd rather be able to forget you have them on. The size guide is on every product.

Washing

Wash at 30-40 degrees. Avoid fabric softener — it settles as a film around the fibres and undermines exactly the moisture transport the material was chosen for. Leave out the bleach, and hang them up to dry rather than tumbling them; the heat is harder on the elastane than the wash itself is.

See the range

Our underwear comes in black and white, or see it all together under boxer briefs. We make socks in the same material too — see bamboo socks.

Questions? Write to hello@sockisocki.com.