Do You Own Toxic Attire?

According to clothing designer Eileen Fisher, who was honored for her environmental work at the 2015 Riverkeeper's Annual Fishermen's Ball, "The clothing industry is the second largest polluter in the world ... second only to oil."

Keeping your clothes clean also pollutes the environment. Many laundry detergents contain toxic chemicals that contribute to water pollution and can pose a hazard to people with chemical sensitivities.

Dry cleaning uses toxic chemicals too, which you can inhale when they off-gas for days afterward. Microfibers are released from your clothes during washing, contributing to the declining water quality and the destruction of wildlife.

Natural cotton, especially organic cotton, might seem like a logical choice, but it can still take more than 5,000 gallons of water to manufacture just a cotton T-shirt and a pair of jeans. Organic cotton accounts for only one percent of the cotton grown across the globe.

Synthetic, man-made fibers don't pollute as much water when manufacturing, but have other issues with manufacturing pollution and sustainability.

Each year, an estimated half a trillion gallons of fresh water is also used in the process of dyeing textiles, putting added strain on declining fresh water supplies.

The Dirty Side of Clothes - Clothes Can Contain:

1. Flame-retardant chemicals are found in many garments, for example. Virtually any garment promising to be stain or water resistant also contains hazardous chemicals. When worn against bare skin, such items could be a source of toxic exposure. Exposure to these chemicals at a critical point in development may damage your reproductive system and cause deficits in learning, memory, motor skills and behavior. Some have also been identified as carcinogenic.

2. Microfibers are another common water contaminant that originate in our laundry rooms. Each washing of a synthetic fleece jacket releases about 1.7 grams of microfibers. The older the jacket, the more microfibers are released. Tests reveal acrylic fibers release the most microparticles. Up to 40% of these microfibers leave the wastewater treatment plant and end up in the surrounding lakes, rivers and oceans. To address the problem, scientists are now calling for appliance companies to investigate the effectiveness of adding filters to catch the microfibers.

What To Do?

1. You choose to own fewer, but higher quality items made in a sustainable way. You can then wear these items for many years, thus reducing the environmental toxic load.

2. Opt for organic cotton, organic hemp and/or wool items, ideally colored with nontoxic, natural dyes when possible. While this will not solve all of the environmental problems related to the garment industry, it's a huge step in the right direction.

3. In lieu of toxic detergents, opt for unscented, nontoxic alternatives. Castille soap or Arm and Hammer Washing Soda are good examples.

4. Dry your clothes naturally on indoor or outdoor drying racks.

5. If using a dryer, skip the dryer sheets. To prevent static cling, use wool dryer balls or a wad of aluminum foil instead, or simply remove your clothes from the dryer before they're completely dry. The remaining moisture helps to prevent static cling. Let your clothes dry fully on a drying rack. Another trick is to launder natural and synthetic fabrics separately, as synthetics cause most of the static problems.

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