Featured several days ago on Green Diary, an online blog that focuses on eco-friendly products and lifestyles, JUZD leads the pack in using bamboo as a sustainable fabric. In addition to discussing the exclusivity of the line and its urban style, Green Diary also does a comparison between cotton and bamboo to better inform its readers on making this great fabric choice!

Original article: http://www.greendiary.com/entry/juzds-bamboo-streetwear-heralds-a-new-era-of-eco-fashion/

Desh | Jul 10 2009

Bamboo is gaining wider acceptance in the green bloc, especially among the fashion mongers. Since the designers have slowly started using bamboo fabric in many of their upcoming collections, the fashion industry is getting more environmentally friendly than ever before. One such design house, JUZD, does a commendable job in establishing high quality bamboo as the newest inclusion to its street wear range of apparel. Each JUZD shirt is made from the highest quality bamboo fabric and is custom knitted. Hence, what it offers are highly anti-bacterial, hypoallergenic, biodegradable and breathable outfits.

After the jump, we have a video clip featuring Jing Liu, lead designer and owner of JUZD, as he explains the concept of this new and hip fashion line. There’s an image gallery too:

How’s bamboo better than cotton?

When compared to cotton, bamboo is definitely better. You need not to keep bamboos soaked in pesticides to maintain its natural growth. In addition to this, bamboo fabrics are much softer. Bamboo fiber dries much faster, has excellent color absorption and is wrinkle-resistant also. Moreover, bamboo biodegrades fully without causing any sort of pollution. It is beyond a doubt a prudent option to go for bamboo clothes rather than sticking to the cotton ones

While “it seems like the whole world is going organic,” it really does seem that JUZD is catching on, and making a great online presence! Recently featured on the front page of SoJones (formerly urb1.com), a popular online magazine that strives to keep up with the fast paced world of urban and hip hop fashion, one finds complete coverage of the JUZD brand – its starts, lead designer, the line itself, as well as several celebrities that are donning the brand.

Original Article: http://www.sojones.com/news/1314-go-green-with-the-planets-first-bamboo-streetwear-juzd/

Go Green With The Planet’s First Bamboo Streetwear: JUZD

Article written by: SoJones Asmara
Posted on: July 9, 2009

It seems like the whole world is going organic, and the streetwear world is no different. However, not every streetwear brand uses organic bamboo fabrics as the main material for their collection. Jing Liu, chief designer of JUZD streetwear succeeded in making the brand “The Planet’s First Bamboo Designer Label”. Founded in 2007, the label thrives under Jing Liu’s directions and keeps the innovative spirit, mixing the art, power, creative and organic energy in its products.

A Canadian immigrant, Jing Liu grew up in Guang Zhou, China, and had fond memories of the bamboo trees which became the inspiration for his JUZD designs. Thinking he was not too good in computer programming, Jing Liu decided to start a clothing line without any background in art or fashion. In 2008, Holt Renfrew, a leading luxury Canadian retailer picked up JUZD and the brand started to get exposures.

Aside taking inspirations -and meterials- from the bamboo, each shirt in the collection is inspired by the JUZD legend of 1898 with an emphasis on individuality and personal expression and as the brand’s philosophy says, you become your alpha persona. JUZD’s philosophy is that the brand aims to lead the movement of bringing art back to clothing design in a wearable and fashionable way. Jing Liu makes sure that each design is limited to few as 35 shirts in any given size to maintain their exclusivity.

JUZD, the environmentally-conscious brand, uses bamboo as opposed to cotton, because unlike cotton crops, the growing and harvesting of bamboo as a matter of fact improve the soil and ecosystem. If you think bamboo fabric is coarse, it’s different with JUZD’s bamboo fabric as their fabric is custom-milled, designed and cut.

The brand is already the it thing among Canadian celebs and is now making its way into the hearts of Hollywood’s darlings such as Estelle and Fergie. JUZD even showed off their newest collection at Fergie’s birthday bash back in March 2009. Jing Liu stated:

“I am so honored to have been invited to be a part of Fergie’s Birthday Bash. She’s such an empowering figure plus she’s got great style and is a real trendsetter.”

Get JUZD right now with these JUZD bamboo-fabric clothings, prices around CA$101 or about US$88.  Visit www.juzd.com to get more JUZD.

Original Article: http://www.roc4life.com/profiles/blogs/roc4life-exclusive-juzd

In addition to the fabric JUZD also uses exclusive printing techniques on the shirts. During Spring 2009 JUZD released a limited edition handmade shirt for Chris Bosh for his birthday party. The technique used was pioneer by lead designer Jing Liu. It is an exclusive 14 step process of aging and distressing foil for a one of a kind and textured look on each shirt. In addition JUZD also uses a Diamond Dust print when use on the bamboo fabric it shimmers like diamond dust as the light hit on it. This is used for the JUZD original shirt design and many of the Fall Winter pieces.

Watch our exclusive interview with JUZD designer, Jing Liu about his luxury line of organic bamboo clothing. Made of the highest quality, silky soft bamboo, JUZD’s edgy one of a kind $100 T’s rank right up there on our must have list. They are anti-bacterial, low maintenance and highly covetable.

Miss Universe Canada loves the feel of her new JUZD t-shirt that she got at this year’s TIFF launch party.

Original post: http://www.thenewagenda.com/article/bamboo.html

 The New Agenda: the lifestyle magazine for the socially conscious

 Eco-Chic Has Gone From Hippie to HOT-Damn!

Before American Apparel undoubtedly corners this market, too, be the first on your block to go bamboo. The key to its sustainable applications is its astronomical growth rate. More garden weed than tree, bamboo can grow up to 18 inches a day, reaching a harvestable size within three to five years. If you’re keeping score at home, that’s up to 20 times faster than hard wood trees, which average anywhere between 50 to 100 years to cultivate. Best of all, bamboo absorbs nearly five times more greenhouse gases and produces 35% more oxygen than an equivalent stand of trees, according to some measurements. Did I mention it’s also naturally antibacterial?

But before you start recounting the itchy advent of Woody Harrelson-endorsed hemp, heed this mantra: A green aesthetic doesn’t have to mean ascetic. If its texture is comparable to anything on the market, it’s silk – a fact that is not lost on its wide range of purveyors. From bedsheets to bathrobes, camisoles to yoga clothes, bamboo fabric is steadily approaching mainstream acceptance. Take a closer look at some of your favorite retailers’ catalogs. This surprisingly soft fabric-alternative, which is actually a type of grass, not wood, is changing the way several companies think green. Though they may not feature these items on the front page of the catalog, many established stores are tinkering with the prospect of bamboo chic. Among these tentative giants: Urban Outfitters, Banana Republic, and Adidas. Even New York mainstay Anthropologie offers a smattering of bamboo products.

Yet despite select retailers’ enthusiasm, bamboo has thus far been ignored by most markets. So what’s taking so long? According to Jing, head designer at Juzd Bamboo (pronounced “Juiced Bamboo”) – a new line of urban streetwear made entirely with bamboo fabrics – it boils down to fear. After shopping his brand around to several big name retailers, the overwhelming response was yes on the clothing, no to bamboo. Most claimed that the eco-fabric was a promising yet “untested” prospect.

Jing was undeterred, and the enterprising designer decided to launch his own company, on his own terms. As a matter of personal pride, Jing regards his new label as an attempt to dislodge eco-conscious clothing from the clutches of one small, musky contingent. “It seems like all these other [eco-friendly] lines are designed for hippies, by hippies.” Through a pair of metallic D&G aviators, he shared with The New Agenda his vision for the future of bamboo clothing: “I want to be big like Diesel…but sustainable. These other companies are hollow, superficial. I want some meaning behind my brand, a real philosophy.”

Though there are certainly no hard feelings between Jing and his flower-power predecessors, he sees a future where Juzd offers a stylish alternative to the sack cloth and hemp of yesteryear; in short, a complete paradigm shift. “We have to aim our sustainable clothing to the masses. People don’t buy ugly clothing just to help the environment.” To ensure the highest quality product, Jing sought inspiration from all over the world; from Argentina to the Philippines, Australia to Canada, and he’s assembled a veritable think tank in green fashion. His collaborators range from print and fashion designers to wallpaper and comic book artists; the fruit of which yields a one-of-a-kind design every time.

Best of all, Jing guarantees the moral and fair treatment of all his workers, both locally and overseas in China – a rarely struck balance between ethics and praxis, even for the green industry. He is currently finalizing a deal with Holt Renfrew, a major Canadian retailer on par with Barneys New York, to offer a selection of exclusive Juzd designs. Until then, check out Jing’s original, limited edition T-shirts at juzdbamboo.com.

Still not convinced of bamboo’s bright future? Nothing moves the obstinate like some high-profile celebrity endorsements. According to a recent feature in Us Weekly (oh, the lengths The New Agenda goes to get the hot scoops), Angelina Jolie loves dressing daughter Shiloh in Kicky Pants’ line of baby bamboo clothing. Touting the benefits of naturally hypoallergenic and antibacterial properties, it’s no wonder bamboo clothing is raking in celebrity dollars. For even more proof of bamboo’s versatility, the evergreen and always exciting Daryl Hannah offers an eclectic array of bamboo items on her website dhlovelife.com. From her “beauteous bamboo worm-bin” to exclusive “bad-ass bamboo snowboard,” Hannah firmly supports the myriad uses of bamboo – and alliteration.

So if you’re ready to run the full gamut of bamboo couture, gear up with these pioneering brands:

Original article written by Jatinder Dhoot of www.toronto.cityguide.ca on Wed June 25 2008.

Ever wake up one morning and decide to create clothing line? It’s not an ordinary occurrence but Torontonian Jing Liu is not an ordinary individual. Liu, creator of Juzd clothing, which is promoted as being the first bamboo designer label, is the lead designer for the urban streetwear line. “I just woke up one day and decided start it up and just focus on doing this”, comments Liu on the origin of Juzd in April 2007.

The web designer amongst other things at the time, came up with the idea for Juzd–a name which had some influence from the much talk in the media of “juiced” baseball athletes doing steroids. Although aggression is part of the brand identity of Juzd, there’s an element of nature and environmental friendliness to the line. “Organic aggression”, comments Liu on what the brand represents—the bamboo being tied into the organic. “I thought about what would represent something natural and organic and I thought bamboo”, explains Liu. The choice itself was a natural one as the plant was a mainstay during Liu’s childhood years which were spent in China.

Despite the organic and environmental underpinnings to the line, Juzd isn’t spiritual retreat or vegan pot luck apparel. “I want it to be eco-friendly but not hippy”, comments Liu. The clothes are designed mostly for the fashion conscious 18-34 demographic of both genders, which Liu is passionate about channeling his creativity to cater to.

His enthusiasm for the line shines forth when he chats about the positive reception line has garnered and how he was an inch away from getting in Holt Renfrew; when he bounces off ideas with Deniz Reno, the model sporting his apparel in these pictures; and as he encourages me “Go Bamboo”, a personal catchphrase of Liu for his line. His excitement is indicative that his seemingly random decision that Spring morning in 2007 was a correct one.

If you would like to pick up some Juzd clothing and “Go Bamboo”, visit GOTSTYLE and Green is Black.