Bamboo vs Cotton

As it happens, all the WhatDo clan have sensory issues when it comes to clothing. Itchy fabric, annoying tags, bothersome seams are enough to drive any one of us to take up residence in a nudist colony. And as we’ve learnt in life, if you can’t find a solution to a problem, create the solution.

Why bamboo?
Bamboo is one of the softest fabrics available, if not the softest. We know because we’ve tried a lot of fabrics. Smoothness aside, bamboo has so many beneficial properties. It is hypoallergenic, which is very important to wearers who may experience allergic reactions to
alternative natural fibres such as wool.

Bamboo is extremely breathable, with better ventilation and moisture absorption than cotton. In fact, bamboo wearers are kept warmer in the cold and almost two degrees cooler in the heat. Bamboo is both antibacterial and antifungal, and cuts out 98% of harmful UV rays. And for those of us who feel like all we do is laundry, bamboo takes half the time to air dry compared to cotton.

Hailed as one of the most eco-friendly, sustainable fabrics on the planet, it has a myriad of positive attributes, including that it requires very little energy and water to grow, replenishes itself without a need for replanting, does not require pesticides because it has its own antibacterial agent, consumes carbon dioxide and returns about 30% oxygen to the atmosphere because its forests are so dense, and is 100% biodegradable.

Why water-based inks?
In addition to being eco-friendly, water-based inks seep into the bamboo fabric as opposed to ‘sitting on top’ of the shirt. This leaves minimal sensory stimulation as it essentially becomes part of the shirt.

Why red, inside out seams?
Although seams are an essential element to every one of our shirts – joining the bamboo fabric together to actually create the shirt – they need not be irksome, or worse yet, painful. We decided to take those literal pains-in-the-neck (and sides, and arms) and bring them to the outside. We decided to use red thread for our first collection to bring attention to the Red Instead movement, which calls for autism acceptance, rather than autism awareness. Autism acceptance means actually listening to and valuing the voices of autistic individuals in any and all conversations about autism. It means “Nothing About Us Without Us” for autistic individuals.

Why no tags?
Clothing tags have become the bane of our existence so we did away with them completely. Is it us or do they seem to be expanding exponentially, some garments with about eight separate tags on them? And although they have that handy ‘cut here’ indicated by a scissors and dashed line visual, when we cut there, we suffer even more discomfort.
WhatDo provides a composition and care instructions tag, just not in the traditional way on the inside neck or side of the shirt. We provide the information both on our site and in the shirt packaging when we send it to you. 

We’ve gone mental. Environ-mental.

We are 100% committed to making sure WhatDo is an eco-friendly brand. Beginning with the fabric, we chose bamboo not only because of its incredible softness, but also because it is hailed as the most eco-friendly fabric on the planet. It is one of the fastest-growing plants on Earth, requiring very little energy and water and growing about four to six new shoots annually, replenishing itself without a need for replanting. Bamboo does not require pesticides because it has its own antibacterial agent. It cleans the air, consuming carbon dioxide and returning about 30% oxygen to the atmosphere because its forests are so dense. Bamboo is also 100% biodegradable. Our fabric manufacturer is Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Organic Content Standard (OCS), Recycled Claim Standard (RCS), Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified. The ink we use on our shirts is water-based, as opposed to plastisol, which means our shirts are plastic-free, PVC-free, and phthalate-free.

Why Made in Britain?

We take our carbon footprint very seriously, which is why everything we do – from designing and manufacturing to printing and packaging – happens right here in the UK. Sustainability and the ability for future generations to thrive relies not a bottom line every time, but on our dedication to reducing unnecessary waste and limiting excess shipping distance. We hope WhatDo will be making an impact for future generations, and as such, it is our responsibility to contribute to a world that is sustainable.