Sustainable Bamboo From the Bamboo Sea

YALA's soft and sustainable bamboo fabric is easy to love—the way it fits, flows, and feels against your skin. But have you ever wondered where our bamboo comes from?

The Shunan Bamboo Sea

The Shunan Bamboo Sea is a national park that protects 46 square miles of highlands in Sichuan, China. This lush forest is home to 58 different types of bamboo. Diverse species of fauna and countless waterfalls also thrive within its borders.

Chinese goods get a lot of mixed press these days. But we'd like to offer another perspective. At YALA, we believe in the power of cultivating cross-cultural partnerships.

Over time, these relationships empower consumers to influence how garments are produced. In this way, one purchase at a time, conscious business has the power to change the world.

The Origins of Bamboo Clothing

Back in the 1990s, China faced a food shortage. With hungry bellies to fill, prime agricultural land covered in cotton was needed for grain.

Enter bamboo. It requires no fertilizer. No pesticides. No irrigation. It grows in places unsuitable for food farming, making it a renewable source of fiber for clothing, that doesn't infringe upon land needed to grow food. Did we mention that bamboo fabric makes for the most comfortable sleepwear imaginable?

Bamboo and Ecological Stewardship

It may seem counterintuitive to allow bamboo harvesting in a protected area. But when we remove aging bamboo stalks, we prevent overcrowding. Workers must do this by hand, bringing livelihood to local villages near the park.

Bamboo stabilizes hillsides and preserves habitat. It also captures carbon and purifies air and water. And it provides mystical backdrops for Crouching Tigers & Hidden Dragons.

We digress, but you get the point. Bamboo production in the Shunan Bamboo Sea is a victory for everyone. Consumers, conservationists, and local communities all benefit.

Stay tuned for future installments on the process of turning raw bamboo into the fiber you know and love. It’s cleaner and greener than you may think!