By: Silvija Čolić |
Greenpeace warns: clothes of many manufacturers contains life-threatening chemicals |
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As if it is not enough to be poisoned by food and beverages, we also inflict damage to ourselves with clothes we wear.
According to information from Greenpeace, many clothing manufacturers use harmful chemicals.
But why is that such a problem and how such clothing can affect health?
The problem is that harmful chemicals from the clothing come in contact with the skin, which has the power of absorption, and that way harmful chemicals enter our bodies.
Poisons that enter our bodies through the skin eventually end up in the bloodstream and ultimately in the liver - the organ responsible for the elimination of toxins.
Some of these toxins are then excreted from the body through sweat.
We all know that the skin has to ''breathe''. But if it constantly absorbs and secretes numerous toxins, it can not properly perform this function.
Constant absorption and excretion of toxic substances on the surface of the skin creates a toxic mix of toxins that are together even more harmful to health than individually.
Dangerous chemicals in fabrics
Many of the fabrics that come in contact with skin were treated with hazardous chemicals during the manufacturing process.
Probably you yourself noticed many times that recently purchased T-shirt has a strange, unpleasant odor.
The culprit for this is formaldehyde, which is associated with numerous health problems such as allergies, insomnia, low immunity, cancer, etc.
Textile manufacturers use it to make goods seemed fresh and polished, and to prevent mold from ruining their products during transportation and storage.
Part of formaldehyde from lingerie, clothing and bedding - which our skin is in contact with 24 hours a day - will come out in the wash, but not all.
Unfortunately, in this regard, we can not help much because formaldehyde is present in almost everything we are surrounded by - carpets, curtains, mattresses, furniture, etc.
And as if that is not bad enough, Greenpeace was able to prove that 20 well-known international fashion brands use other harmful chemicals in the process of making clothing, some of which are extremely dangerous chemicals that pollute the environment and endanger human health.
Danger to health and the environment
At the end of the last year, Greenpeace released the results of investigations of toxins on 141 samples of clothing, collected in 29 countries.
The study was conducted at an independent laboratory and it was found that each of the top 20 brands has a few pieces of clothing that contain hazardous chemicals.
Specifically, in two-thirds of garments - and to make it even worse - even in children's clothes, the presence of substances that can cause cancer and hormonal disorders was discovered.
It is a nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPE), compounds hazardous to the endocrine system, phthalates that threaten reproduction system and colors that contain carcinogenic amines.
The use of NPE in the EU is limited, but not totally prohibited. The only restriction is that these chemicals are released into waste water so the pollution of the environment is at least substantially reduced.
But most of the goods with the signature of famous fashion companies is produced in China and other Asian countries where such a ban does not exist, which causes significant pollution of the environment.
How wearing such clothing damages our health, it remains only to investigate.
Experts believe that even low levels of toxins present in clothing pose a threat to human health and point to the connection of these toxins with infertility and certain types of cancer.
Dominic Thompson from Greenpeace believes that the impact of toxic chemicals on the human body is bioaccumulative.
Therefore, we cannot know what consequences such a gradual build-up of harmful substances ultimately has on our health.
Toxic waste is dumped in rivers
Regarding the environmental pollution, Manferd Santen, Greenpeace activist, warns that fashion brands around the world use rivers as a channel for waste drainage.
In particular, he points out that the chemicals that end up in rivers threaten the drinking water supply, and wildlife, especially fish.
And that problem is not only preset in countries where the clothes is produced, but also in countries that import such clothes because the toxic substances are washed out from purchased goods.
Famous brands included in toxicity research are:
- Giorgio Armani
- Benetton
- Blazek
- C & A
- Calvin Klein
- Diesel
- Esprit
- Gap
- H & M
- Jack & Jones
- Levi's
- Mango
- Marks & Spencer
- Meters / Bonwe
- Only
- Tommy Hilfiger
- Vancl
- Vero Moda
- Victoria's Secret
- Zara
Many of these brands are present on the Croatian market, for example, Zara, which annually produces 850 million pieces of clothing.
It is hard to imagine the amount of toxins with which big players in the textile market are polluting and destroying people's health, particularly in China, where such goods are mass produced.
Is there a solution?
Greenpeace asked these manufacturers that are toying with human health to stop using dangerous chemicals in their production processes by 2020.
According to statements by Alex Foler, the spokesman of association that represents the interests of the chemical industry, there is an alternative.
Compounds that are not harmful to the environment and do not endanger the health of humans and animals would not significantly increase production costs, nor would they cause significant increase in clothing prices, but such actions still need to be executed in practice.
Despite the fact that some companies have agreed to meet Greenpeace demands, it might take a while for the program of protection of the environment and human health is implemented in practice.
What to do buy, then? Be careful what you buy, especially if it has “Made in China'' on the label'.
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