Plant-Based Fabrics Release Odors

Any clothing, blankets, or cloths that are near or on infants will come into contact with malodorous substances. This is particularly true for burp cloths, that are designed to absorb infant reflux which has a distinct odor. Any caregiver clothing may touch a bit of drool, a leaky diaper, milk drips, or reflux. 

All fabrics are not equal when it comes to smells. Over time, polyester will retain foul smells, even after washing. You may have noticed this with a favorite workout shirt. High performance, synthetic athletic wear has properties such as wicking and fast drying that are built into the materials themselves, but these properties often come at a cost of retaining odors, even after repeated washings. For more information, have a quick read on the NY Times.

Synthetic fabrics refer to fabrics whose materials come from industrial processes. These are your ubiquitous polyester, acrylic, and nylon, all of which find their origins in forms of plastics. While they are inexpensive, in addition to the odors, these plastic-based fabrics release harmful microplastics into the air, water, and soil. 

Fortunately, plant-based fabrics offer better alternatives for clothing and blankets that will come into contact with odors. Plant-based fabrics refer to fabrics whose origins come from plants. Some examples are cotton, linen (coming from flax), and hemp, where the fibrous parts of the plant themselves are spun into yarns that are then used to create fabrics. 

Other fabrics that find their origins in plants, including trees, are rayon from bamboo, lyocell (mainly eucalyptus), and modal (mainly beech). For these fabrics, wood from bamboo, eucalyptus, oak, beech, or birch trees is broken down into pulp and processed into yarns that are then transformed into fabrics. 

These fabrics will be more expensive than polyester, but the benefits for health and functionality are worth it. 

Plant-based fabrics offer breathability, absorbency, even antimicrobial characteristics. At the end of their lifecycle, they break down in less harmful ways than synthetics. Perhaps most importantly for CamelGuard products, plant-based fabrics release odors after washing. This means that the CamelGuard products you buy absorb reflux and work again and again staying fresh as you wash after use. 

Technology in weaving and spinning facilitates high performance qualities of synthetics without the plastics involved. Fabric innovation is making great strides in transforming plant-based materials into fabrics with high performance properties. CamelGuard works with world class innovators who create new ways to spin yarns and construct fabrics from plant-based materials that offer high performance functionality like absorbency. 

We value functionality and sustainability. CamelGuard seeks the best materials from plant-based sources that offer absorption and continued freshness. Plant-based fabrics better release smells when washed, adding one more reason to check those labels and seek out blankets, burp cloths, and clothes made from plant-based rather than plastic-based materials.