You wouldn't think it to look at him but personal trainer Lee Carnaby used to be a fabric designer for Laura Ashley.

The tough man fell into the profession by accident after school but is now putting his experience to good use.

He has combined his knowledge of sports and clothing to create the world's first range of bamboo sportswear.

His Maidenhead-based company Biiofit uses technology patented in China.

Lee discovered bamboo fabric after reading an article in 2008 and knew straight away he wanted to develop it's use for sportswear.

It is hypoallergenic, antibacterial, antifungal, antistatic, antiviral and 95 per cent UV resistant.

Lee  said: "It's pretty much the perfect fabric for gym use because it feels like cashmere but performs like polyester.

"It definitely the best gym clothing I have ever worn."

Evidence shows your brain’s function improves when your body feels comfortable so I put one of the tops through its paces to test this theory.

I was very impressed.

Bamboo absorbs four times more moisture than cotton meaning all that nasty sweat is sucked away from your body during your workout.

You don't get that horrible clammy feeling of it sticking to you and the fabric really is super soft meaning no chaffing or discomfort.

It also regulates your temperature perfectly.

Lee said:"They call it air conditioning for your skin

"There are pores in the fibre and when they heat up they open and allow more air to get to the skin. Then they close up when it's cold."

The 40-year-old has been a personal trainer for 20 years and runs his business Fusion Fitness from Reading and David Lloyd in Maidenhead.

He is also the man in charge of keeping Maidenhead MP and Home Secretary Theresa May in fighting form.

He juggles all this with the running of Biiofit with business partner Jeremy Thomas.

The company has sponsored British high jumper Jade Johnson who is due to compete in the 2012 Olympic Games. She trains daily in their tops.

Other endorsements come from real life 'Lara Croft' Joey Bull.

The four times UK Fitness Champion said: "I love this product - breathable, silky soft and still natural and organic."

World record powerlifter Del Mcqueen is also a fan wore  a Biiofit top  for his  winning lift in the World Powerlifting Championship in Prague.

Biiofit currently they sell t-shirts, socks, yoga pants, leggings, shorts for men and a unisex running top but hope to expand in the future.

It seems Lee was right to jump in early as global sportswear brands such as Nike and Sweaty Betty are now starting to use of the fabric.

He said: "It's a competitive market but no one else has got the natural organic material we have because it isn't available in bulk and there's so many factors that make it better than anything else."

Bamboo is more environmentally friendly than cotton as it is one of the fastest growing plants on the planet, yielding 10 times the amount per acre of land.

It also requires significantly less water for growth and needs no pesticides.

And is bio-degradable making it easy to send back to China for recycling.

Biiofit also offer a discount on your next purchase when you send them an item for recycling.

They offer a 100 per cent money back guarantee on all online purchases.

www.biiofit.com

COMPETITION

Biiofit have five tops to give away.

To enter simply 'like' their Facebook page www.facebook.com/Biiofit and then email info@biiofit.com answering this question: Is bamboo classified as a) A fern b) a tree or c) a grass.

Winners will receive a Biiofit top of their choice and also a 25  per cent discount on their next purchase from Biiofit.

The closing date is Thursday, February 2, 2012.

Usual Advertiser rules apply

READER OFFER

Use the voucher code 'mad2' in the discount code area on the website to receive 20 per cent off your purchase.