{"id":42176,"date":"2022-12-02T00:49:53","date_gmt":"2022-12-02T00:49:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gsgf.greenschoolsgreenfuture.org\/?p=42176"},"modified":"2022-12-05T00:50:34","modified_gmt":"2022-12-05T00:50:34","slug":"toxic-textiles-the-chemicals-in-our-clothing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gsgf.greenschoolsgreenfuture.org\/fr\/toxic-textiles-the-chemicals-in-our-clothing\/","title":{"rendered":"TOXIC TEXTILES: THE CHEMICALS IN OUR CLOTHING"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every week, the news labels a different consumable as \u201cbad for you.\u201d This trend can be seen in our food, medicine, and drinking water. All of which have been described as riddled with carcinogens, hormone disruptors, forever chemicals, and toxins. Unsurprisingly, all these harmful chemicals can be found within our wardrobes and throughout the textile industry.\u00a0 More importantly, the health implications of these substances are vast in range, and volume, as approximately\u00a025% of global chemical output<\/a>\u00a0originates from the textile industry. Since textiles comprise a significant part of our world, and we are in contact with textiles all day, every day, safety and confidence in these products are vital.<\/p>\n

Good versus Bad<\/h2>\n

There is much talk about what is good or bad for you, so before we dive into the specific chemicals in our clothing, it is essential to note that\u00a0Chemicals are not inherently bad.<\/u><\/em>\u00a0All matter is made of chemicals! That includes you and me. While it is true that not all chemicals are \u201cgood\u201d for us\u2014and even those that are, namely water, can be harmful when exposed to too much of it\u2014the word chemical should not be feared.<\/p>\n

What are these \u201cbad\u201d chemicals?<\/h2>\n

There are about\u00a08000 synthetic chemicals<\/a>\u00a0that are used in the apparel industry manufacturing process, from material acquisition to the finished product. Since we cannot cover every chemical and its function, this article will focus on the most common and deleterious substances. These include, but are not limited to, flame retardants, Polyfluorinated substances (PFAS)*<\/sup><\/strong>, lead & chromium, phthalates, chlorine bleach, AZO dyes, and volatile organic chemicals (VOCs)+<\/sup><\/strong>\u00a0such as formaldehyde.\u00a0Please see the infographic below for a more in-depth look at chemicals and associated health concerns. NOTE: This is not a comprehensive list.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Function matters, but at what cost?<\/h2>\n

These chemicals were not created to be \u201cbad,\u201d but does their intended purpose eclipse their adverse effect? Let\u2019s take a look<\/em><\/p>\n