What's Wrong With Fast Disposable Fashion?
JUST CONSIDER THIS
Synthetic fabrics are mostly comprised of crude oil-petrochemicals and they are widely used in the production of fast fashion because it's a very cheap raw material producing steep profit margins for fashion brands. Research and laboratory studies from around the world have proven over and over again that they pose a severe and negative impact on human and animal health. We can do better than this. Mother Nature has graciously provided us with the abundance of all the natural materials we need to clothe our bodies and furnish our homes without the need to sacrifice our health or the environment.
Organic and natural fibre clothes will never go out of style and they last much longer than conventional in regards to quality and construction. Once they are discarded, the fiber returns to Mother Earth harmlessly; leaving no chemicals or toxic fiber composite behind.
Because we know the care and passion that goes in to producing better clothes there is no comparison to conventional fashion. Conventional fashion employs over 8,000 and up to 12,000 chemicals to produce. Of those chemicals there are thousands and thousands of group classifications and versions of those chemicals in our clothes. Many have been banned by other countries and nations around the world because of their known danger to human health, the environment and high levels of toxicity.
Growing or cultivating organic and natural fibres takes time. The one thing fast fashion and an industry that thrives on over-consumption and riddled with greed does not have or embrace.
As a consumer you can change these dynamics simply based upon how you spend your dollars. Be concerned about who makes your clothes, demand quality, thrift shop, repurpose, say no to synthetic fabrics such as polyester, acrylic, rayon, acetate, nylon, tri-acetate, modal, tencel, loycell, viscose and even bamboo (currently bamboo is produced using the same toxic methods as rayon and in fact it is classified as rayon fiber).
A Single Shirt Can Contain Up To 12,000 Dangerous Toxic Chemicals?
These chemicals are silent killers affecting your family's health in many disturbing ways.
Carcinogens
Hormone Disrupters
Skin Irritants
Endocrine Disrupters
Gender Benders
​Nano Patricles
Most Common Toxic Chemicals In Fashion
​
Acrylic Acid-Irritating and corrosive to the skin. Attributed to pulmonary edema- (respiratory failure).
Acetone-Organic compound linked to mutation, epilepsy, and chronic neurotoxicity.
Ammonia-A combination of hydrogen and nitrogen. It is caustic and hazardous.
Benzene-A natural constitute of crude oil and one of the most elementary petrochemicals. It is used in dyes, rubber and detergents and has been linked to aplastic anemia, acute leukemia and bone marrow cancer.
Bromines-Strong smelling chemical used as flame retardant.
Cadmium- A heavy metal used in the dye process.
Carbon Disulphide-A fowl smelling chemical used in the production of viscose rayon.
Carcinogen- A cancer producing substance.
Caustic Soda-Lye and is corrosive. It is very harmful to all living tissue.
Colors and dyes-synthetic known carcinogens and cause cancer
Acid and Azo—Should never be used.
Basic Red 9 and 46—Violet 14
Direct Blue 6—Black 38—Red 28—Brown 95
Disperse Blue 1, 106 and 124---Brown 1—Yellow 1 and 3—Orange 1, 311, 13 and 149.
Dioxins-Chlorine reacting with “organic” compounds forms dioxins-a potent carcinogen, reproductive and developmental toxicant. It alters the immune and endocrine system and is also known as PBT’s (persistent bio- accumulative toxicants).
Flame Retardants-Include many chemical trade names (PBC, PBDE, Tris and Chlorinated Tris). The chemicals have been linked to thyroid disease, reproductive and neurodevelopmental problems, immune suppression, cancer and SID (Sudden Infant Death).
Formaldehyde-A highly toxic and colorless chemical used to preserve dead bodies. Used to create anti- wrinkle, anti-static, easy care, odor proof, anti-bacterial, etc. It is known to cause cancer, skin ulcerations, heart palpitations, eczema, asthma and many other serious health conditions.
Nano Particles and Nano Silver-Microscopic materials including prefluorinated chemical compounds, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide and aluminum which have the ability to penetrate the skin and be absorbed directly into the blood stream. Nano particles cause brain damage and affect the central nervous system. Examples of nano particles are fluid fabrics and spray on fashion.
Nonylphenol Ethoxylates- The chemical has the ability to mimic natural estrogen hormones and is highly toxic to aquatic life. It has been proven to be a hormone disruptor for humans and affects the reproductive system. It destroys the environment. It is found in major clothing brands such as Nike, Adidas and Puma.
PBT’s-Substances are a class of compounds that have high resistance to degradation very dangerous to the environment and high toxicity.
Perchloroethylene-or Perc- A chemical solvent used in dry cleaning. Exposure to the chemical increases the risk of bladder, esophageal and cervical cancer. It also reduces fertility.
Permethrin-A highly toxic insecticide applied to children and outdoor clothing to prevent bug bites. The chemical causes brain damage, disrupts hormones, contributes to reproduction abnormalities and sever skin sores that won’t heal. Do not buy any clothing treated with this chemical.
PFC's-Preflourinated chemicals-The US Environmental Protection Agency classifies as cancer causing agent. Chemical is used to make fabric stain resistant
Phthalates-Used in vinyl fabric. It is a reproductive and developmental toxin. It has also been linked to rhinitis (inflammation of the nasal cavity) and asthma. The chemicals are also known as PBT’s (persistent bioaccumulative toxicants). Found in all graphics on t-shirts and kids underwear.
Polyurethane-Used in the health care industry (examining table). Chemical associated with asthma and bronchitis. Chronic exposure in sensitive individuals can be fatal.
Toluene-A divertive of crude oil and can cause severe neurological harm when inhaled. It is used to make polyurethane foam (vinyl). Should never be used. Banned in most foreign countries.
Triclosan-Used to stop the growth of bacteria, penetrates the skin on contact and enters the blood stream. It’s added to athletic and outdoor clothing.
VOC's (Volatile organic compounds)- A combination of compounds including formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, toluene and benzene. The smell is released into the air and can have long-term chronic health effects, such as liver and kidney damage, nervous system and cancer risk. Also known as new building or new car smell.
​
Bio-Fascination
New technology infusing fabric with human DNA. Whose DNA is it? WHY!
Sensory Perception
A micro encapsulation delivery system for textiles that allows active ingredients such as synthetic fragrances to be chemically trapped in the fabric and released over time.
NanoTechnology
Can directly enter the blood stream upon touch. Scientist around the world are urging the government to do more research to determine the health implications of wearing the fiber. Current research shows the central nervous system and brain is negatively affected by these particles.
3D Printing
Creating fashion using a computer and a 3D printer that uses a petro-filament thread like substance, heated by the printer to print pieces that can be put together to create a garment that is plastic. Printers using the technology is dangerous as the fumes can pollute air quality and off-gas. Wearing plastic petro-clothing suffocates skin pores-raising our core body temperature , decreases the body's natural EMF frequency making it more susceptible to illness. These garments are unrealistic for everyday normal wear.
The Dangerous Future Of Fashion?
May Sound Cool. But It's Not So Cool For Your Health!
WHAT ARE SYNTHETIC FABRICS?
From creation to discard synthetic fabric is harmful and destructive. It simply never completely goes away. Synthetic fibers are created in a laboratory. They are manmade and unnatural. The fabrics are created using a lethal cocktail of toxic chemicals that do not occur naturally in nature. Synthetic fabric prevents our bodies from naturally sweating releasing toxins through our skin. This natural process gives our bodies the ability to maintain a healthy immune system, regulate temperature and fight disease. The mass production of acrylic, polyester, rayon, nylon, acetate, vinyl and polyurethane is endangering our health and the planet at an alarming making our bodies more susceptible to disease and illness.
-
Acrylic fabrics are polyacrylonitrile (PAN) synthetic polymers and have been proven to cause cancer in laboratory studies. It's classified as plastic. Plastic bottles and bags are broken down to a yarn state and woven into fabric.
-
Acetate and tri-acetate is made from wood pulp and is called cellulose fiber. Thousands of toxic chemicals are required to process the solution(slur) into strands that can be woven into fabric. These chemicals contaminate our planet in many disturbing and unethical ways. It has been discovered that these chemicals alter hormones affecting fertility making it impossible to conceive and have children. It's been reported that 7.3 million American couples are not able to conceive and have children, chemicals in the environment have been implicated.
-
Nylon is made from coal, petroleum, air, water, agricultural by-products and natural gas. Research has linked the fabric to breast cancer along with many other chronic illnesses.
-
Polyester (also called polynosic) is made from synthetic polymers derived from esters of dihydric alcohol and terephthalic acid. In plain English polyester is made up of four ingredients: coal, petroleum, air and water.
-
Rayon is made from recycled wood pulp that has been treated with chemicals such as caustic soda, ammonia, carbon disulphide, acetone and sulphuric acid. The fabric has been researched and proven to cause nausea, headaches, vomiting, insomnia, chest and muscle pain and even Parkinson’s disease.
Other manmade fabrics to avoid include modal, tencel, loycell, viscose and most types of bamboo. It’s true many of these fibers can be considered natural, they are made from wood (beech and eucalyptus trees) and grass. However, the process used to produce these fabrics is highly toxic and chemically saturated. Don’t be fooled by corporations touting through the use of clever ad campaigns that these fibers are the fabrics of the future. As consumers we should investigate the facts behind the claims to know what we are buying.
Modal-Viscose-Loycell-Tencel Explained
Fabrics created by The Lenzing corporation
-
Modal is a type of rayon made from reconstituted cellulose slur formed through spinnerets. It is very light weight, almost see through, shrink and fade resistant. Modal easily loses it's shape, causes severe itching and burning rashes.
-
Viscose is made by rotting beech tree wood chips in a bath of caustic acid. Once the rotten has occurred the solution is treated again with caustic acid and carbon disulphide. The fabric can cause nausea, rashes, itching and burning.
-
Loycell is made using n-methylmorpholine n-oxide, a chemical that dissolves eucalyptus and beech tree wood chips into a slur. The slur is run through spinnerets to form yarn that is woven into fabric. The process uses nano-technology.
-
Tencel is the registered trade name for loycell.
​