While it is understandable that reusable bamboo cups have taken off, given the fact that we can see the amount of waste produced by plastic, one may wonder, why would I switch to a bamboo cleaning cloth?
That microfibre dish cloth that we have all been using is made of plastic and unfortunately every time we wash it or throw it away it can damage the environment. Here's why. Traditionally dish wash cloths or kitchen towels are made of synthetic fibres such as polyester which is a form of plastic. We now know that when we wash synthetic fibres they can release tiny micro-fibers which often aren't filtered out and end up in the ocean.
Micro-plastics are a huge threat to the ocean and the aquatic life. These are tiny pieces of plastic, often smaller than 5 millimeters that easily escape our notice, even when we are trying to be sustainable. Micro plastics ends up in the ocean from our beauty products, toothpaste, scrubs, soaps, our washing, you name it. What is concerning is that aquatic life mistakes the particles for food and eats them, this causes issues for the animals, and can impact us when we consume seafood. As there aren’t any fully-efficient technologies to filter out the micro-plastic from our waste water, the only known way to reduce this form of pollution is to stop creating it.
Sustainability
A more sustainable way to clean our kitchens is to switch to a natural fibre such as a bamboo dish cloth. Bamboo, being the quickest growing plant is eco-friendly in multiple ways. It can be harvested without destroying the plant and will regenerate naturally, this means the soil remains untouched which is great for retaining natural nutrients. In addition, the quick growth of the plant ensures little need for pesticides or excess water, if any are used at all. In this regard, bamboo is more sustainable than cotton, which often requires special care and loads of water to grow.
Absorption Capacity
Bamboo cleaning cloths have a very good absorption capacity and dry quickly too. So it's hassle free to clean with a bamboo dishcloth.
Anti-bacterial
No one wants a kitchen cloth to be a home to mold and germs. But, disinfecting a dishcloth over and over again is also a task in itself. A 100% bamboo fiber cleaning cloth comes in handy as it is naturally anti-bacterial, so bacterial is less likely to grow in your cleaning dishcloth when you keep it dry.
Biodegradable
Choosing a plant based fiber dishcloth means you’ve chosen a biodegradable product this means when it's worn out it goes back to earth without adding to landfill.
Bamboo washcloth are easily available in many zero waste stores in Australia. These are eco-friendly, have a soft texture and can clearly be ranked above the traditional synthetic or cotton dishcloth and single use paper towels.
