The Federal Trade Commission has charged a number of bamboo clothing manufacturers with making false claims about the environmental attributes of their product. The FTC’s case is part of a growing fight against “greenwashing” – making an environmental claim about a product or service without adequate scientific evidence.
In the National Textile Association's 8/12/09 News Blog, they state that the FTC has charged four sellers with deceptively labeling and advertising garments made of bamboo fiber, when they are actually made of rayon. The complaints also charge the companies with making false and unsubstantiated “green” claims that their clothing and textile products are manufactured using an environmentally friendly process that retains the natural antimicrobial properties of the bamboo plant and that they are biodegradable.
