Toxic Attire

Toxins are in most clothing. Washing these clothes can release toxins from the clothes and pollute the environment. On top of that, many laundry detergents contain toxins.

Microfibers:

Each washing of a synthetic fleece jacket, releases about 1.7 grams of microfibers into the wastewater. The older the jacket, the more microfibers are released. Up to 40% of these microfibers leave the wastewater treatment plant and end up in the surrounding lakes, rivers and ocean.

Current studies have found that microfibers are particularly dangerous, as these fibers are small enough to easily be eaten by fish and other wildlife, accumulating in the gut and concentrating in the bodies of other animals higher up the food chain.

Fibers are found in both marine and freshwater fish. When Abigail Barrows, chief investigator for Global Microplastics Initiative, sampled over 2,000 marine and fresh water fish, 90% had microfiber debris in their bodies.

Ecologist Mark Browne, Ph.D., post-doctoral fellow at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, published a study during which he sampled sediment from 15 beaches around the world. He found high concentrations of acrylic and polyester fibers close to waste water treatment plants.

A new study found that during laundering, one fleece jacket may release as many as 250,000 microfibers. 100,000 jackets washed in one year would result in the equivalent of 11,900 plastic grocery bags released into the environment.

Washing machines also play a role in releasing microfibers into the wastewater. Scientists are calling for appliance companies to investigate the effectiveness of adding filters to catch the microfibers. Research found that top loading machines released 5.3 times more microfibers than front loading models.

Flame Retardants & Plasticizers:

A study has found cotton and polyester fabrics pick up flame retardant chemicals and plasticizers, such as phthalates, from indoor polluted air. Phthalates are chemicals used to make plastics more pliable. They leach out from the plastics as the product ages and are toxic to you and the environment.

Phthalates have carcinogenic effects and also affect reproduction and development. When clothing carrying these chemicals are washed, the chemicals enter wastewater and are released into the environment.

Chemicals in Your Clothes May Damage Your Fertility:

A number of studies have demonstrated a 50% decline in adult male sperm count over the last 50 years. Reasons include poor diet, stressful lifestyle and environmental factors. Recently, researchers found microfibers released from your clothing may bind with chemicals, such as phthalates and flame retardants in your laundry, before released into the sewer system. Phthalates affect not only the amount of sperm but also the quality of the DNA. This affects both fertility and the health of the offspring.

Studies have also demonstrated that women with the highest concentrations of phthalates suffer the lowest levels of libido.

Avoid fire-resistant, stain-resistant and/or water-repellant fabrics. Your best bet is to buy organic clothing.

Read More