Fashion Labels: What Do They Tell Us?

While the planetary and human rights impacts of the fashion industry have received lots of attention, there is comparatively little focus on the daily impact of fashion’s fibers and chemicals on our health.

What, Exactly, is in Our Clothes?  

Truth is, we really do not know. It is difficult for a consumer, even an informed one, as there is no ingredient list. Look at your clothing labels. Compared to food and cosmetic labels, you will not find much there. Clothing labels usually list the type of fabric (cotton, wool, silk, polyester, etc.)., where it was made (often China, the leading exporter of textiles, India, and Vietnam, among others), and the performance functions, such as wrinkle-free, stain-proof, or waterproof, etc.

According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), “The Federal Trade Commission asks U.S. clothing retailers to share only fiber content, country of origin, and the identity of the manufacturer on labels.”   

Let us start with clothing fibers. Today, almost 70% of our clothes are made of polyester and other synthetics derived from petroleum. They do not biodegrade (even recycled polyester) and constantly leach harmful chemicals and microfibers into our air and water. Eventually, these clothes wind up in landfills. One of the biggest culprits is microplastics (particles below 5mm), also known as microfibers (a plastic-based thread thinner than a human hair).

Microfibers are found in polyester, nylon, polyamide, and acrylic. When these textiles are manufactured, washed, worn, or dried, they continually release or shed these tiny plastic fibers. A quote on a U.K. site, Friends of the Earth, posted, “One washing load of clothes could be shedding up to 17 million tiny plastic fibers.”

You’ve probably heard about the impact of microplastics in our oceans (the textile industry is the largest contributor), but think about this: they are also lurking in your home’s air and the clothes touching your skin.

According to PlasticSoupFoundation.org, “Of all the floating dust in a household, 33% of it is microplastics from textiles.” The bad news: we are breathing and ingesting these particles daily; not to mention, they are polluting outdoor air around the globe.  

What makes our clothes stretchier today is spandex, aka elastane. It, too, is a petroleum-based fiber sourced from polyurethane. You will find it on most clothing labels today, ranging from undergarments to performance athletic wear to daytime and evening wear. If a garment is smooth, tight, and clingy, it probably has spandex. Today, we are hard-pressed to find clothes that do not have even a small percentage of spandex. And, we have grown accustomed to the sleek fit spandex provides.

What else is missing in those labels? Likely a lot. It is the hidden toxic chemicals and dyes applied to fabrics (even natural fabrics) we should worry about. More than 8,000 synthetic chemicals are used in textile manufacturing. Some of the most harmful are polyfluorinated substances or Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), frequently used for stain- and water-resistance.

You have probably heard them also referred to as “forever chemicals.” EWG cites that PFAS are “a large family of thousands of fluorinated chemicals, linked to a higher risk of cancer, reproductive harm, immune system damage and other serious health problems.” These chemicals are so insidious in our environment, they are found in everything from skincare products to bedding to furniture and clothing textiles. In fact, according to the CDC, “their presence in human blood is a near-universal phenomenon in the United States.”

Ninety percent of our clothes are dyed synthetically (even those made from natural fibers). AZO dyes are used in 60% to 70% of fabric colors, particularly vivid colors, as well as black and brown. (Some of these dyes can break down into aromatic amines that can come off fabrics and are carcinogenic in high levels.)

According to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC), “Aromatic amines can migrate from clothing and leather articles and be absorbed through the skin where there is direct and prolonged contact. The amount of aromatic amines released can increase with body heat, sweat and saliva.” Too, heavy metals such as lead, and chromium are also often used in the dyeing process, especially to achieve vivid colors.

 Volatile organic compounds (VOC) such as formaldehyde are be used to make clothes wrinkle-resistant. And phylates, recognized as endocrine disrupters, are often used in the decorative printing process. Chlorine bleach is used to prep natural fibers and polyester for dyeing. Then, there are flame-retardants, since synthetic fabrics are not naturally fire-resistant like wool.   

So, why not just wash your clothes? Washing before your first wear may address some chemicals used in shipping and storage, such as biocides and fungicides to control pests and mold in transit. But washing will not address chemicals like azobenzene (AZO) dyes.

The ACCC found, “Washing the item may not decrease the concentration of hazardous aromatic amines. Pre- and post-wash test results commissioned by the ACCC didn’t indicate a consistent decrease in the concentrations of hazardous aromatic amines after a single wash. In some cases, the results after a single wash were slightly higher than the pre-wash test results.” And synthetic microfibers never stop shedding.

Can Clothes Really Impact Our Health?

In late 2010, something strange began happening in major U.S. airlines, beginning at Alaska Airlines. After the issue of new uniforms manufactured by Twin Hill, some flight attendants began experiencing strange and debilitating symptoms. Then in 2016, flight attendants from American (again Twin Hill) and Delta (designed by Zac Posen, manufactured by Land’s End) and then Southwest in 2017 began having similar experiences. As Alden Wicker noted in her must-read 2023 book, To Dye For, “All these uniforms had a few things in common. They boasted water-and-stain repellency. They were anti-wrinkle, anti-fungal, and anti-odor and came in bright, saturated colors of the airlines. It is as close as we are going to get to a control group.”

Airline management and the uniform makers kept looking for the smoking gun—what they failed to consider was the toxic soup all these coatings and finishes had created. Eventually, lawsuits ensued. Although the lawsuits were were never settled, the airlines eventually revamped their uniforms.

“It’s unlikely that there’s one specific smoking gun type of a chemical that’s causing these issues, but it’s likely to be a unique combination,” Irina Mordukhovich, research associate at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told Vox (for an article in July 2016).

Taking a lesson from the flight attendants, it’s best to minimize or avoid what is called “performance” fabrics. You can recognize them as water and stain repellency, anti-wrinkle, anti-fungal, anti-odor, and anti-mircrobial, just to name a few. Be wary of the “anti” claims. And the more claims there are, the worse it gets. These effects are usually achieved by applying toxic coatings or finishes to the fabric.

Be an Informed Shopper

Without labels, it is not easy. It requires a conscious effort and tenacious research. There are certifying organizations, but remember, participation in these programs by brands is voluntary. Also, just because certain products are certified does not mean all products by that brand meet the same criteria.

Additionally, if you think by avoiding fast, cheap fashion you are off the hook, think again—you’re not. Some of the higher-end brands have been found to be just as guilty. And surprisingly, some of the lower-end brands have made some effort, too. Do your research.

With these disclaimers, here are some organizations or certifications Wicker cited to look for on product labels or brand websites:

• Oeko-Tex, a German non-profit that certifies brands, suppliers, and their products.
• bluesign^®, a Swiss company providing chemical management training to brands and manufacturers. (I noticed this recently on a bag I purchased at REI.)
• Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)
• Cradle to Cradle, focused on recycling and biodegradabiity
• Scivera provides a full toxicology report to brands on ingredients in a chemical or fashion product.
• California Prop 65 Warning Label on any product containing formaldehyde, lead, cadmium, some phthalates, and BPA.

However, these certifications are not foolproof. For example, “the EPA has identified more than twelve thousand PFAS, and Oeko-Tex only tests for four dozen,” Wicker noted. Joe Rinkevich, the founder of Scivera, told Wicker, “Formulators are smart.

They know the list just as well as Oeko-Tex does. And they will find a molecule that performs the exact same way as a restricted substance. It has the same carcinogenic properties or whatever the problem is.”

Conclusion

Rethink your relationship to fashion. Here’s to happy and healthy shopping!

Here Are a Few Things to Do Now:

At Home:

• Vacuum and dust frequently.
• Consider HEPA air-purifier/s (home, office, nursery).
• Buy a washing machine filter.

Shopping:

• Research ahead to select healthier brands as your go-to choices.
• Buy natural materials (cotton, wool, silk, and leather) versus synthetics; avoid toxic finishes/dyes.
• Avoid performance fabrics (waterproof or water-resistant, wrinkle- or stain-resistant, odor-resistant, anti-microbial, etc.).
• Avoid buying neon or vividly colored clothing.
• Don’t take “organic” at face-value.
• Don’t buy counterfeits (which may contain highly toxic materials).
• Avoid spandex (this will be difficult).
• Avoid polyester fleece, one of the biggest emitters of microfibers.
• Avoid metal-embellished clothing (may contain heavy metals).
• Avoid vegan leather: it’s polyurethane, a plastic.

Dressing:

• Don’t wear performance clothing after exercise, and avoid wearing it at all, if possible,
• Don’t wear skintight synthetic clothes.
• Rotate wearing clothing items.
• Wash before the first wear.
• Find a green dry cleaner.

Advocate:

If you care, advocate for labeling transparency and policy change in the fashion industry or support organizations that do.