Walking into a store and trying on dozens of clothes at leisure may be a shopaholic's dream. Beware; you might be walking out with more than just a fabulous purchase. Consumers might also be purchasing a chemical cocktail present on clothes from their favorite brands.
A team of researchers in Stockholm University in Sweden tested 60 garments sold at popular clothing stores, a mix of local brands from Swedish and international brands. What they found was more than just good craftsmanship and clothing engineering. They also discovered thousands of chemical residue present on the garments. Hundreds of these chemicals are not included in the manufacturer's lists. Researchers believe they could be manufacturing byproducts or additional chemicals soaked up by the garment during transport.
The garments were tested for chemical residue before washing as well as after. The team found two key classes of chemicals present on the garments: aromatic amines and quinolones were present in garments made from polyester. As for cotton garments, the team found residue of benzothiazoles.
While some of the chemicals were washed off, the residues then pose a threat to the aquatic environment. Unfortunately, the team found that other chemical residues remain high even after washing. Long-term exposure on skin could lead to potential dermal problems.
"Exposure to these chemicals increases the risk of allergic dermatitis, but more severe health effect for humans as well as the environment could possibly be related to these chemicals. Some of them are suspected or proved carcinogens and some have aquatic toxicity," said analytical chemist Giovanna Luongo from Stockholm University.
Luongo was particularly interested in the wastewater pollution aspect of clothing toxicity. She theorized, if manufacturing chemicals pose problems for wastewater managers, the same could pose a problem on the finished garments.
The team has started the second phase of their research. After identifying four chemical categories they want to focus on, Luongo and team are measuring the chemical's presence on the garments in terms of quantity, occurrence and toxicity. Moreover, they want to analyze the chemicals' possibility for penetrating the skin.
Analytical chemist Conny Ostman added that the study "have only scratched the surface". As something people use 24 hours a day multiplied by one's lifetime, clothing toxicity is a threat that needs to be solved. "We must find out if textile chemicals go into our skin and what it means to our health," added Ostman.
The researchers uploaded [pdf] their thesis online on Oct. 23.
