Wash before Wearing!

I had a Recycouture student that was hosting an exchange student from China. She told me that the student’s mother had asked her daughter to bring back clothing from the Goodwill. Why? Because the garments had already been washed many times and when her mother bought new clothes actually made in China; she had to wash them 20 times before they were safe to wear!

It makes good sense; why do the work when one was lucky enough to have a daughter in the “land of throw away” that could bring you “ready mades.”

I thought this was an interesting story. After telling it a just few times I collected three stories of major reactions to new clothes.  One woman broke out in hives, another was in a restaurant when her partner told her she was turning red.  When her breathing became affected she got scared and went home for an antihistamine.  She took off the new top (made in Indonesia) and saw that her skin was all blotchy.  She recovered after she took off the offending garment and had a shower. The third person suffered really itchy bumps on the skin under the garment.

Try telling the exchange student story to people you know and see what happens.  If you uncover more examples of toxic or allergic reactions to clothing, please send them to me.  If you can supply the label information as well, that would be added greatness. In compiling this “data” however unscientific the research; there is merit in the form of the communal heads up!

Now before this little exercise, I had been telling people that the chemicals in clothing were suspect so new garments should be washed before wearing them.  In fact it is one of my basic ReFashion concepts, but I had no idea how “big” the problem was. I feel validated …and mad.

Are you aware that formaldehyde is added to fabrics in order to stop shrinkage? The chemical flame retardant that is used in electronics and found in mother’s milk in alarming amounts is also used in textiles. These PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers) are found in polyesters, foams, carpets, upholstered furniture etc.. Many have been banned in the EU ( http://www.healthychildrenproject.org/actions/pbdes.html) as they are  persistent organic pollutants or POPs; meaning that they are resistant to degradation and hang around for ages in the environment. How about the anti-stain and waterproofing PFOS and PFOAs or (perfluorooctane sulfanate and perfluorooctanoic acid) found in Scotchguard and Gortex and may be particularly harmful to women and girls? (Principles of Environmental Science; Cunningham, Mary Ann and William; 2008) This is the known and the unknown is always the larger part! The bioaccumulation of these chemicals is worrisome as our cells are hanging onto these concoctions and how much can we tolerate before….well you get the picture!

It’s funny because I have always washed thrift store garb right out of the bag. I use second hand clothing and fabrics in the recycouture garments i design for the fashionRIP Project. It appears that it is the new clothes and fabrics that are likelier tpto pose a problem.  Well now ya’ know!