Fashion Makes Us Sick
Chemicals on our clothes and skin? Your body is a wonderland, let's keep it that way.
Welcome to the second part of the "Round & Round" newsletter, where we share stories from our production journey and the lessons we learn along the way.
Recently, it has become clearer that certain types of clothing can pose risks to the people who wear them. This issue is gaining attention as lawsuits flood courts across the United States. The use of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in clothing to make them durable, stain-resistant, and water-repellent has so far, been of central focus.
These chemicals don’t break down naturally and instead accumulate in our water supply, soil, and even our blood. Studies indicate a link between PFAS exposure and cancers, fetal abnormalities, reproductive disorders, and impaired liver and immune system function. Disturbingly, the corporations responsible, 3M and DuPont, were aware of this evidence as far back as the 1960s, long before public health research caught up.
Efforts are underway to regulate PFAS in clothing supply chains, but there are still many other potentially harmful substances used across the manufacturing, dyeing and finishing stages of garment production. Some of these substances can be metabolised and peed out, while others, like heavy metals, accumulate in bodies for decades or indefinitely, as is the case with PFAS.
The impact of chemicals in clothing is an under researched area. We still have little understanding of how these compounds are absorbed through the skin and bloodstream or how they interact with each other, potentially affecting individuals sensitive to chemicals.
Surprisingly, there are still no federal standards in the US governing what chemicals can be used in adult clothing. In the EU there are now over 30 banned substances for use in fashion, however regulation for imports is limited. For instance, the banned synthetic dye "22 azo", a known carcinogen, was found in half of 150 textile samples tested.
In her new book To Dye For: How Toxic Fashion Is Making Us Sick Journalist Alden Wicker has highlighted the health problems faced by flight attendants from various airlines, including autoimmune diseases, asthma, coughing, rashes, and other issues caused by synthetic uniforms. Firefighters have also protested against their gear being contaminated with PFAS. Wickers' research uncovered a broader problem: many individuals in the US report health issues simply from wearing garments. These people belong to a diverse group who believe their health has been affected by toxic fashion.
If you're still reading our exploration into the dark side of fashion production, we appreciate your continued interest. At Arches, we strive to address some of the common issues within the industry, beginning with our sourcing principles. While we may not always get it perfectly right, we are committed to thorough research, all the way back to the raw materials we use, as well as synthetic compounds our garments might come in contact with at the dye houses. Our focus is on working with organic natural fibers like cotton and hemp, as well as only using bluesign dyes to ensure we are never putting our brands and customers health at risk. It just isn’t worth it. Our baseline commitment to zero PVC's, Phthalates or PFAS chemicals is a start. We will continue to use as many organic compounds and physical washing methods for our custom wash effects and never use unregulated dyes from unknown brands.