Bamboo towels have become very popular in recent years. Soft, silky, super absorbent. All of that is true. But there is a little-discussed side to the process behind the word "bamboo".
The vast majority of bamboo towels on the market are made by dissolving the bamboo plant through a chemical process and turning it back into fibre. Its technical name is bamboo viscose. So the raw material is bamboo, but the fibre is actually regenerated cellulose. That is not a bad thing; viscose really is very absorbent and soft. But how far claims that bamboo is naturally antibacterial carry over into this processed fibre is debatable.
There is also a practical point: viscose fibres lose a significant part of their strength when wet. So bamboo towels do not much like hot washes and heavy-duty programmes. They usually perform best blended with cotton. Cotton provides the backbone, and bamboo viscose adds softness and absorbency. If you see "100% bamboo" on a label, read the care instructions before you get excited.