Are Your Fashion Choices Making You Sick?

Toxic chemicals and materials in clothing can take a toll on your health.

A recent Wall Street Journal article questioning whether clothes were better 50 years ago inspired me to reflect on fashion, which I have always loved. Their investigation revealed clothes today (or rather the textiles they are made of) are thinner, stretchier (accomplished by blending with Spandex®), rarely lined, more tightly cut (meaning more sustained direct contact with our skin), and more frequently are made of synthetic materials like polyester. Yesterday’s consumers had fewer clothes, mostly made in the USA, and they paid more for them (not that those clothes were entirely healthy). No question, most modern clothes have become less expensive (fast fashion) and more comfortable, but at what price? While much has been written on the planetary and human rights impacts of the fashion industry, comparatively, there is less focus on the daily impact of fashion’s chemicals on our health.