At MAWDE, we know the secret to supreme comfort is super softness. And we know to be the most inspiring sloungewear brand in the world, we must have a sustainable approach to our people, process and product.

That’s why the fabric choice for us is bamboo lyocell, a genuine advancement in environmentally sustainable textiles in the fashion industry. We’ve even created our very own bespoke lyocell material and called it Sofcel Bamboo™.

We’re obsessed with bamboo because, as a fabric, its hollow and smooth fibre structure gives our gear an incredibly soft, smooth and silky feel on the body, like nothing else.

Bamboo is the world’s most sustainable resource. It can grow over a metre a day and absorbs five times more carbon dioxide and produces 35 percent more oxygen than other plants.

Compared to cotton, bamboo yields up to 10 times more fibre per hectare and only needs one tenth of the water to grow. Bamboo also regenerates itself with four or five new shoots, for every one harvested. It even improves soil quality and rebuilds erosion because, its extensive root system binds loose top soil together. And, most importantly, brilliant bamboo doesn’t need any nasty pesticides and fertilisers to thrive.

We also use a production process that has given great consideration to the environment. It uses a closed loop technique with a non-toxic solvent to break down the pulp. Ninety nine percent of the water is recovered and reused on the next batch and the minimal leftover waste is harmless to the environment.

What’s more bamboo is antibacterial, because of a natural component called “kun”, hypoallergenic because of the naturally soft smooth fibres and wicks away moisture at four times the rate of cotton. Bamboo is even naturally resistant to UV rays.

Chris, MAWDE’s production manager at our local factory in Marrickville, Sydney, says that while Sofcel Bamboo™ is incredibly comfortable to wear, the extraordinary silkiness makes it more difficult to work with from a maker’s perspective.

“It’s an incredibly soft and slippery fabric, which is harder to work with than synthetic fabrics, but that’s fine because that’s what makes it an incredible experience for our customers. It’s not necessarily the easiest or cheapest fabric to work with, but it’s definitely the best, and that’s the MAWDE way,” he says. 

“Our mission is to help you feel incredible, inside and out, and the key to that is our Sofcel Bamboo™.”