We have become so desensitised to plastic and synthetic materials in our everyday life that we might not think too much about the clothes we wear every day, and the chemicals that can be found inside them.
My last blog was about OEKO TEX, which is a testing standard and certification that ensures clothing is made without any chemicals harmful to humans.
This begs the question – if there is a certification for having no harmful chemicals, then just what kind of chemicals are in my normal everyday clothing?
It’s more than you might think. Let’s break it down (because these clothes won’t break down themselves).
Are there harmful chemicals in my clothes?
There can be several different kinds of chemicals that are harmful to you in the clothing you wear every day. You might feel fine while wearing them, and you might picture nasty breakouts or rashes on the skin when you think of the term ‘harmful chemicals’ – while that can happen, the harm can also be a lot more subtle than that, and more than skin deep.
Not every chemical used in clothing is bad of course – most things in our world are made up of chemicals and elements from a scientific standpoint – but there can be harmful chemicals in your clothes such as:
- Nonylphenol ethoxylate
- Perflurochemicals (PFCs) and Teflon
- Formaldehyde
- Phthalate – makes clothes more durable and flexible
- Heavy metals – lead, cadmium, chromium
- Harmful chemicals in polyester, nylon, spandex, acrylic, rayon
Different countries will also have different regulations. Many harmful chemicals have been banned or restricted from garment manufacturers in some countries, but continue to be used in other nations that aren’t as strict – and this means they can still find their way through in imports.
What do these harmful chemicals in clothing do to my body?
It’s important to note that harmful chemicals used in clothing are most dangerous when directly consumed (i.e. eating or drinking them), and it’s more common for them to cause a degree of irritation on our skin when we wear them. Most of these nasty chemicals may not be harmful in small amounts of exposure, but over time the damage can build up, affecting your body in different ways.
Here’s the facts on what these harmful clothing chemicals do to your body:
- Nonylphenol ethoxylate – designed to be washed out in a few washes, it is now banned in clothing in some countries as it winds its way into water and poisons marine life. The chemical itself can linger for a while, and can cause neurological issues; affecting memory function and learning.
- PFC and Teflon – PFCs are harmful, especially when consumed (such as when they wind up in your drinking water), and Teflon. While they are more harmful when consumed, they can also cause damage to your skin and contaminate your clothing by leeching off these harmful chemicals in microplastics.
- Formaldehyde – typically a gas chemical used in manufacturing plastics for various purposes, it is also used in clothing to reduce wrinkles. However, it is a skin irritant that can cause nasty rashes and conditions like dermatitis.
- Phthalates – harmful by affecting the reproductive system and even being carcinogenic, harmful mostly when inhaled or consumed but also harmful when absorbed through the skin.
- Heavy metals – lead, cadmium, chromium, are toxic and can be absorbed through the skin
- Polyfloroalkyl substances and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – found in synthetic fabrics such as polyester, nylon, spandex, acrylic, rayon, these are harmful chemicals known as ‘forever chemicals’. Skin exposure to these chemicals messes with your hormones.
Why do manufacturers use these harmful chemicals in clothing and textiles?
There are a few key reasons why manufacturers use these chemicals to produce textiles and garments, even though the world has become more aware of their harms, and is discovering how far they can spread.
- Anti-wrinkle, wrinkle resistant or “wrinkle-free” Flame retardant – many synthetic fibres can be quite flammable, and there are stories where people’s clothing has gone up in flames in seconds, melting into their skin and leaving them with awful burns. To offset this, textile manufacturers within the fast fashion industry add flame-retardant chemicals to make them more safe when it comes to fire – but then this can lead to other harms too.
- Colours: manufacturers will want to be able to produce clothing in a range of colours, including bright and extra vibrant shades that are much harder to produce using natural dyes. However, these dyes can have negative side effects.
- Durability: using petroleum based fabrics and adding other chemicals to the garments can make them long lasting and durable (depending on the type of fabric and weave), but it’s the wrong kind of durability – one that means these clothes don’t break down at the end of their life when sent to the garbage tip.
- Feel and texture: sometimes, chemicals are added to improve the feel of a garment to help them sell while they’re on the rack in the store.
- Mass manufacture and cost saving: using these harmful chemicals is cheap for manufacturers, who will do what they can to save money and increase their bottom dollar. They can produce more for less at a faster pace using these chemicals than by using higher quality and more skin-friendly and environmentally friendly fabrics.
What should I look for in clothes to avoid harmful chemicals?
Check the tags and see what materials are listed. See which one is listed first and if they give a percentage mix for how much of each textile actually went into the clothes.
Understand that they will use less scary words like ‘rayon blend’ or ‘satin’ (which is not a type of fabric, it’s a type of weave – believe me I’ve got a blog all about that coming up!) to put customers at ease and sound less scary.
Look for clothes that are from OEKO-TEX 100 Certified suppliers and manufacturers. Look for natural fibers like linen and cotton, or environmentally friendly fabrics free of harmful chemicals like tencel.
When shopping online make sure to check the item description for any product details that list the materials. If it doesn’t have that and you don’t know the brand, move to a brand you know and trust, or try shopping in-store to get a feel for the material.
Lastly, understand that not all chemicals are bad. If there’s a chemical you haven’t heard of before, it isn’t necessarily harmful. Give it a quick ‘Google’ or search it on your internet browser of choice. It only takes a minute or two and what you learn can help you decide if that’s something you want to buy or not.