Style, sustainability and comfort await

Bamboo Body Kirrawee — *Bamboo Body, Kirrawee*

Soft, breathable clothing, that is natural, protects you from the sun, is sustainable, and moisture wicking? PSA everyone: it does exist, and it’s called bamboo clothing.

The benefits of bamboo fabric and clothing have steadily become more widely-known, but they’re especially appreciated by sisters Elouise and Amanda, the brainpower behind Shire-based business, Bamboo Body. The hunt for fabric that was simply better than the rest was borne, as many searches are, of a desire to problem-solve. In 2005, the ever-entrepreneurial duo were running a maternity clothing boutique in Brisbane and needed something that could match up to QLD heat - and the needs of pregnant women. Thus followed their first encounter with bamboo fabric.

“Back then, we just couldn't find what we were searching for anywhere, so we decided to look into all the different fabrics and develop something ourselves. We were going to go for organic cotton and instead came across bamboo,” tells Elouise. “We felt it and just thought, this is amazing - everyone needs to know. It was a no-brainer.”

And when Elouise and Amanda said that everybody should know, they really meant it. The sisters began looking beyond maternity-wear, and at how bamboo clothing could be made accessible to everybody. Exactly one year later, led by a ‘look good, feel good, do good’ philosophy, they launched Bamboo Body - and it has gone from strength to strength since.

On anti-fast fashion, ethics and sustainability, Bamboo Body takes a strong stance, remaining committed to benefitting the world, rather than causing harm to it. “Our fabric is OEKO-TEX 100 certified, and the plantation we source from is FCA certified - it doesn't encroach on habitats,” Elouise shares. Ethics and responsible sourcing are also paramount, and Elouise and Amanda have worked with the same makers for over 15 years to develop a trusting, healthy work environment where the employees are secure and cared for.

Although the basics are beautiful to look at, each piece is designed with the wearing experience in mind first and foremost. “My sister and I design most of the collection - but the whole team is involved, because everyone who talks to customers gets feedback. Alana, our creative director, puts together a mood board for colours and direction, and we go from there. We all wear the collection as well, so it's kind of like a group project,” says Elouise. Ranging from t-shirts, underwear and knits to kidswear and menswear, the designs are built upon a core of easy-wearing, everyday basics in tried-and-true styles and versatile colours, with gaps filled in based on customer feedback. “But we're not really all about fast-fashion cycles,” says Elouise. “We’re more about staples.”

With all the ‘basics’ bases covered, the sky feels like the limit for this ever-growing business - and you can expect to keep seeing new styles, new designs, new collections and new ways of operating within their inclusive, diverse and sustainable lanes. “We just launched our spring/summer collection, so that’s our current big thing,” says Elouise.