We often link risks like skin irritations or rashes with fabrics, but the dangers go beyond that. Many commonly used fabrics, especially in children’s clothing, can contain harmful chemicals that pose serious long-term health risks. These chemicals like flame retardants and pesticides, can have harmful effects on your family members.
In this article, let’s see how we can identify safer fabrics for your clothing, bedding, and other household textiles.
The Dangers of Harmful Chemicals in Fabrics
Most of us are unaware of the risks that fabrics may carry. Many a time, chemicals are used to improve fabrics’ durability, wrinkle resistance, or water-repellency. These same chemicals can get absorbed into the skin, cause allergic reactions, and sometimes long-term health problems.
Some of the most common chemicals found are as follows.
- Formaldehyde is a well-known carcinogen that’s commonly used to make fabrics wrinkle-free. It can irritate the skin and eyes, and when inhaled it can also cause respiratory problems.
- Flame Retardants: These chemicals are often found in children’s clothing to fulfill fire safety standards. However, studies have shown that these chemicals can disrupt hormonal systems and harm brain development.
- Pesticides: Cotton is one of the most pesticide-loaded crops in the world, and these chemicals can remain on fabrics long after manufacturing. Pesticides can have health impacts such as impaired immunity, respiratory disorders, neurotoxicity, and acute effects like burning, itching, and headaches.
The developing immune and nervous systems of children are vulnerable to these chemicals. This makes it very crucial for parents to make fabric choices mindfully and consciously.
Choosing Safer Fabrics for Your Family’s Health
Choosing clothes, bedding, or home textiles mindfully becomes easier when you know what to look for and what to avoid. Here are some tips to use safe fabrics for your family.
- Natural Fibers are good: Fabrics like organic cotton, wool, and hemp are naturally free from harmful chemicals. These materials do not require chemical-heavy farming practices, and therefore reduce chemical exposure.
- Look for Non-Toxic Labels: All products don’t have certifications. But it is possible to look for labels that say “GOTS Certified Organic” or “OEKO-TEX Standard 100”. These mean that the fabrics have been tested and are safe for prolonged skin contact.
- Choose Undyed or Naturally Dyed Fabrics: Dyes used to color fabrics can contain harmful substances as well. Opt for undyed fabrics or those dyed with natural substances.
Some reactive dyes are known to be respiratory sensitizers. They can not only cause occupational asthma but also once sensitized, a person may suffer from allergic symptoms even on re-exposure to small amounts. - Avoid Flame Retardants and Waterproof Treatments: Many flame-retardant and waterproof treatments contain harmful chemicals like PFAS. You can check the product label to make sure that the fabrics have not been treated with these chemicals.
- Wash New Clothes Before Use: As a general rule, always wash new clothes before wearing them, especially if you have babies. This helps reduce any chemicals from the manufacturing and dyeing processes still lingering on the clothes and fabrics.
These tips can help you reduce toxic chemicals your family may be exposed to. But this is only the beginning. The market is ever-growing and with that different chemicals keep getting introduced into our household products.
As a parent and a consumer, it becomes extremely important that you understand why you should be careful with every fabric you buy. Let’s understand why and how this impacts your family’s long-term well-being.
Choosing Safer Fabrics Is Only One Piece of the Puzzle
In today’s world, chemicals are simply everywhere. From the food we eat to the products we use, and even the clothes we wear. This continued exposure can have long-lasting effects on our health.
Especially for children, these chemicals can have adverse impacts. When a child is surrounded by chemicals, they are bound to be negatively impacted.
Chemicals in Fabrics
Let’s talk about fabrics first. As we read, wrinkle or stain-resistant clothes are often infused with formaldehyde, a carcinogenic substance. Along with skin irritation and respiratory issues, it is also linked to cancer with prolonged exposure.
It is important to note that it can persist in your child’s clothing long after they’ve been bought. This is a reminder to carefully assess what fabrics your family comes in contact with.
Toxins in Baby Foods
The threats, however, don’t stop here. Our food supply is just as infiltrated with toxic substances, from pesticides on produce to preservatives in processed foods. Day in and day out you see concerned parents raise their voices against the makers of edible products for children.
A notable example is the lawsuit against certain cow milk based baby formula brands, claiming that the product increased the risk of Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC). NEC can cause long-lasting health issues like developmental delays or digestive problems. Along with this, families have to face immense financial and emotional stress while caring for their children.
The NEC lawsuit payout, an estimated average between $50,000 to $500,000 per person, is one of the many settlements that such manufacturers make and move on to continue offering such products.
It is extremely important that we be aware as well as spread this knowledge to others, not only to empower consumers but also to collectively put pressure on the makers to become better. With regards to the NEC case, TorHoerman Law mentions that these legal actions can bring about changes in how these products are marketed and used in hospitals.
Harmful Substances in Hygiene Products
Secondly, many baby hygiene products such as lotions and shampoos, often contain harmful chemicals like phthalates. Phthalates are used to make plastics more flexible. However, phthalates have been strongly linked with hormonal disruption in children.
Additionally, because babies’ skin is more absorbent, they are more vulnerable to the negative effects of this substance. The exposure to these chemicals in day-to-day products is a growing concern for parents and demands attention.
Choosing fabrics for your family isn’t just about comfort and style anymore. It’s about safety and protecting their health. Harmful chemicals can be living in the very clothing your family wears, the sheets they sleep on, and the towels you use every day.
By being mindful of the products you buy, you can significantly reduce the risks posed by toxic materials. Take a few steps now to avoid long-term health risks for your family.
