Iron or wrinkle free?

Do you know that the anti-wrinkle finish of your clothing comes from a resin that releases formaldehyde, the chemical that is usually associated with embalming fluids or dissected frogs in biology class?

And clothing is not the only thing treated with the chemical. Formaldehyde is commonly found in a broad range of consumer products and can show up in practically every room of the house. The sheets and pillow cases on the bed, the drapes hanging in the living room, the upholstery on the couch. In the bathroom, it can be found in personal care products like shampoos, lotions and eye shadow. It may even be in the baseball cap hanging by the back door.

Most consumers will probably never have a problem with exposure to formaldehyde. The biggest potential issue for those wearing wrinkle-resistant clothing can be a skin condition called contact dermatitis. It affects a small group of people and can cause itchy skin, rashes and blisters, according to a recent government study on formaldehyde in textiles. Sensitive consumers may have a hard time avoiding it (though washing the clothes before wearing does help). 

The levels found in the study are not likely to irritate most people. People who have allergic contact dermatitis caused by formaldehyde in clothing typically become hypersensitive because of some other exposure, like a worker with chapped hands who has handled metal-working fluids that contained the chemical or someone who applied moisturizer with a formaldehyde preservative on inflamed skin. Humidity and sweating can also have an effect on the chemical’s release. 

People rarely become allergic to the low levels of formaldehyde released by textile resins, but for those already sensitized; it is entirely possible to react to the low levels released by textile resins in clothing. Some people were probably genetically predisposed to allergy. Research shows that the small group of people who are allergic can develop a rash with levels as low as 30 parts per million. 

So why use the chemical at all? Formaldehyde basically keeps the fabric’s fibers in place after a spin in the washing machine. Without it, the fibers become wrinkled or creases may fade. Formaldehyde levels have declined over the last several decades, largely as a byproduct of regulations protecting factory workers at risk of inhaling the chemical and improved resins. The retail industry has also helped to reduce the numbers.Several retailers, including the Gap, whose Banana Republic stores offer an array of no-iron shirts, said those shirts met the most stringent standards. Land’s End and Levi Strauss & Company, too, said all adult textiles, including the never-iron Dockers, met the standards. Nordstrom said all of its clothing conformed to the standard except for its wrinkle-free garments, because of the way they were manufactured. But the company said the levels were minimal.

Over all, minimizing your exposure is a good idea.  What would you choose, your iron or wrinkle-free clothes?

Quotes of the day

A healthy attitude is contagious but don't wait to catch it from others. Be a carrier - Tom Stoppard