In this post we are going to discuss the dangers of synthetic fabrics and how it's affecting your health.

Our bodies are constantly coming in contact with different fabrics. From our everyday clothes, athletic wear & uniforms, underwear, hats, head coverings, towels & washcloths, bedding, couches, office chairs, and car seats, etc. But rarely does it ever occur to us to consider what these fabrics are made of and where they come from. What if I told you that the majority of what you wear is toxic to your body and is one of the leading causes of many if not most of our health issues. These fabrics are a silent and slow killer, and the dangers of synthetic fabrics is something that we need to start talking more about.

The Dangers of Synthetic Fabrics 

What are Synthetic Fabrics?

Synthetic fabrics are textiles that are made entirely of man-made fibers. These fibers are created by lab technicians using chemicals. LOTS of chemicals.

The Science

Synthetic fibers are made by a process called polymer synthesis. This requires that small molecules be chemically combined with other small molecules to form a polymer chain. These chains combine and become synthetic fibers which are then used to create the synthetic fabrics that make up much of your wardrobe. Essentially, these fibers are plastic, which means that the clothes we wear are also plastic.

The History

Synthetic fibers make up 70% of the world’s production of fibers. This is saying a lot considering that synthetic fabrics are a fairly new invention. Prior to World War 2, all clothing was made with natural fibers.

The necessity for synthetics came about during wartime when our military needed more material for their uniforms, parachutes, tents, ropes, etc.

However, after WWII, there were so many of these synthetic chemicals and materials leftover that those in power decided to get their money’s worth and begin making using those chemicals in clothes for public consumption, and now here we are.

Semi-synthetic clothes were the first creation made for general purchase and soon after the infamous nylon was created, the very first synthetic fiber.

Types of Synthetic Fabrics

Below are the most popular synthetic fabrics. You’ll probably recognize most if not all of them.

Nylon- Mostly found in lingerie, pantyhose, socks, etc. Nylon is the first synthetic fabric to hit the mainstream market.

Polyester(microfiber)- The most popular synthetic fiber and the absolute worst for your skin!

Acrylic- Made from acrylonitrile, a known carcinogen & mutagen. Used often in sweaters, winter wear, and blankets.

Rayon- Made from cellulose chemically converted from wood.

Spandex/Elastane- Mostly in sportswear, bras, panties, leggings, swimwear, etc. Known for being stretchy & non-wrinkle.

What are the Health Risks of Wearing Synthetic Fabrics?

It’s difficult to imagine our clothing of all things being a contributor to major diseases, but unfortunately, this is a harsh reality.

Over 8,000 carcinogenic chemicals are used to make synthetic fibers.

You can wash a synthetic piece of clothing 1000 times and it will still emit about 96-97% of the same gastric fumes as it did when it was initially manufactured, even if it is 10 years old! These gases are then absorbed into your pores, into your skin, and because human skin acts as a highly absorbent carrier for chemicals that come into direct contact, all these chemicals are finding their way directly into your bloodstream. These toxic fabrics are directly related to cancer, neurological problems, mental illness, etc.

Synthetics commonly contain formaldehyde, brominated flame retardants and perfluorinated chemicals like Teflon fibers to give apparel non-iron and non-wrinkle durability. These perfluorinated compounds are classified as cancer-causing agents under the US Environmental Protection Agency Guidelines. Additional chemicals are used during the dyeing process to maintain color. So at this point, we are talking LAYERS of toxins mama. LAYERS.

Since becoming mainstream with the Industrial Revolution in the 1960s, industrialized countries in the world have experienced:

• Up to one-third of married couples experiencing fertility issues
• Respiratory diseases rose 160% in preschoolers in Europe and North America
• Contact Dermatitis, folliculitis, impetigo and other skin ailments have become widespread
• 1 in 2 males & 1 in 3 females will develop cancer
• Women have a 1 in 8 chance of developing breast cancer

Synthetic fibers produce electrostatic discharge which contributes to male infertility, especially when worn tightly (like underwear & compression shorts/pants, and other sports/workout wear)

Synthetic fabrics help to induce muscle fatigue & muscle disorders

Babies and young children often put clothes into their mouths and suck on fabric which is very dangerous because at this age their natural defenses haven’t fully developed yet. Many health problems that children are having is a result of the clothes they are wearing.

Health Risks by Fabric Type

Nylon:

• Petroleum-based get treatments using caustic soda, sulfuric acid, benzyne, and formaldehyde.
• Undergoes bleaching using agents like chloroform, limonene, pentene & terpineol. Some if not all these chemicals are known carcinogens.
• Does not absorb sweat causing foul odors & skin infections.
• Chemicals used in nylon manufacturing are known to cause cancer, dizziness, spinal pains, system dysfunction, etc.
• Creates a greenhouse gas 300x stronger than carbon dioxide.

Polyester

• Made from synthetic polymers made from dihyolric and terephthalic two highly toxic substances
• Studies have shown that many health conditions and diseases come from the excessive wearing of polyester
• Rashes, itchiness, eczema, and dermatitis

Rayon

• Processed with chemicals such as carbon disulfide, sulfuric acid, ammonia, acetone, & caustic soda.
• Carbon disulfide alone is known to cause nausea, headaches, vomiting, chest & muscle pain, and insomnia.

Acrylic

• Causes headaches, nausea, dizziness, difficulty breathing, and limb weakness. Also contains chemicals linked to brain cancer.

Spandex/Elastane

• Made from polyurethane and carcinogens
• Causes itching & inflammation of the hair follicles
• Known to trigger allergies
• Makes one prone to fungal & bacteria disorders, impetigo in children
• Causes bacterial and yeast infections in women as it doesn’t allow your lady bits to breathe
• Known to also cause headaches and brain swelling

Bamboo- Though bamboo is in fact natural, what it must go through in order for it to become the soft fabric that many of us are used to, it must first be processed with extremely harsh and dangerous chemicals such as sulfuric acid, carbon disulfide & sodium hydroxide which cause issues in reproductive health as well as a plethora of other issues.

Something to Think About

Almost 100% of athletic & athleisure wear is made with synthetic fibers. So, as you are working out, doing yoga, playing sports, running, doing Pilates, etc., you sweat which opens your pores and your body is absorbing all those toxic chemicals and fumes on a regular basis every time you are active. And then you go home & shower, and then the clothes you put on down to your underwear and bras are also synthetic. We are constantly being sponges to these toxins and we had no idea.

Fire Retardants

Products that contain fire retardants such as mattresses, highchairs, car seats, etc. contain additional chemicals that make them less flammable when absorbed into your skin. They have been known to cause brain fog, neuron dysfunction, and degradation of brain cells, etc.

It is no secret to the synthetic industry that these fibers are harmful. Creating these clothes has never been about providing you with quality clothing, it simply boils down to convenience and profit. It’s convenient for the consumer as we have the ability to purchase nice stylish clothes for low prices. And for the producer, manufacturing as many pieces as possible for the biggest profits at the expense of the health of the consumer and the poor.

Breast Cancer & Synthetic Fabrics

85% of the 200,000 women who are diagnosed with breast cancer have no inherited genetic predisposition. This means that the cancer must be coming from other places.

Women who wear polyester bras have significantly higher numbers of breast cancer concerns than women who don’t wear them. The longer a woman wears a synthetic bra (the chances are even higher if the bra is wired) the greater her chance of developing breast problems, including breast cancer.

Women are 6x more likely to contract breast cancer wearing bras made of synthetic fabrics

Women with larger breasts are 8-9x more likely to contract breast cancer wearing synthetic bras with an underwire. The underwire cuts off your lymphatic glands causing blockages.

Slave Labor

Many of these synthetic fabric manufacturers are willfully participating in slave labor in impoverished countries. They work their workers until they die of various diseases due to the chemicals that these fabrics contain and once they are gone, they will bring their children in as their replacement and the cycle continues.

What are the Environmental Risks of Synthetic Fabrics?

Synthetic fiber production is one of the most dangerous forms of pollution as they come from non-renewable resources. This means they are not biodegradable & manufacturing them pollutes our water, air, soil, wildlife, as well as our food supply as these chemicals are now being found in our soil. These chemicals have also been recorded showing up in women’s placentas, which means that our children are being affected before they’re even born.

85% of clothing on the planet ends up in a landfill every year and with 100 billion pieces of clothing sold every year, this means that 85 billion of those clothes end up in those landfills, most of those clothes being polyester.

These synthetics also require oil to manufacture, and oil that requires drilling requires MORE chemicals.

The lower cost and high demand for synthetic fabrics are crowding natural fibers out of the marketplace making them much harder to find.

What are Natural Fabrics?

Natural fabrics are made from fibers that are created by nature, whether it be from a plant or animal. Nature continuously provides us with non-toxic, renewable, and biodegradable resources for us to clothe our bodies with, as it was originally intended. And these fabrics come with nothing but benefits.

Cotton:

• Hypo-allergenic
• Keeps the body fresh
• Non-abrasive
• Absorbs humidity
• Soft
• A good first step to removing synthetic fabrics from your home as it is the most affordable natural fabric
• Versatile
• Can be washed and dried on any heat setting
• A chemical & irritant free fabric
• Good for sheets, curtains, wash cloths & towels

Wool:

• Hypoallergenic wool (wool with the lanolin washed out)
• Fends off dust mites
• Absorbs and removes moisture keeping you dry
• Antibacterial and antifungal
• Keeps body temperature constant
• Durable
• Regulates body temperature

Silk:

• Non-abrasive, hypo-allergenic
• Self-adjusting thermal, meaning it regulates body temperature
• 100% immune to dust mites Is a high-quality fabric so it will last as long as it is taken care of
• Great for those with eczema & psoriasis
• Feels amazing on the skin
• Protects body from electrostatic charge
• Natural fungal repellent
• Great for those with allergies

Linen:

• All natural and one of the best fabrics for your health
• High absorbent
• Hypo-allergenic
• Anti-static
• Lasts up to 12x as long as cotton
• Excellent breathability, keeping your skin dry
• Lint-free, more breathable than cotton
• Strongest natural fabric

Why are Natural Fibers Better?

Our bodies work full time to function at their best the least we can do is give it what it needs, removes what it doesn’t, and make their job a little easier. Natural fabrics allow our bodies to dispel toxins and waste without interference as some of them are antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-fungal, and anti-microbial, and some even help to eliminate these toxins themselves (linen and wool).

Natural fabrics are also great for the environment, as they are biodegradable and do not cause pollution.

It’s also important to note that you should always go for high-quality natural fabrics. Etsy is an absolute gold mine when it comes to this. There are so many different stores that focus on nothing but making high-quality environmentally sustainable fabrics available to you.

I will note that not all natural fabric manufacturers are created equal. Even some natural fiber clothes are typically grown with synthetic chemicals (pesticides) unless they’re organic. 25% of all pesticides on the earth are used for the cultivation of cotton. So, try and shoot for organic cotton as much as you can.

How is this Affecting your Household?

The side effects and risks I’ve listed throughout this post have shown us that what we wear has an effect on every aspect of our health, mental, emotional, hormonal, sexual reproduction, digestion, etc. This means that in one way or another it’s affecting our entire family.

Finding out this information was a blow because it meant so I had to throw out 90% of our clothes & start all over again. So, I had to learn how to shop for natural fabrics, and I’m still learning.

There comes a time when we have to ask ourselves the hard questions. Is the way that we look, the clothes we like, and the money we don’t want to spend more important to us than the health of ourselves and our families?

As women who value the well-being of our families, we have to keep everything in mind and make adjustments as we learn new information. Making the necessary changes to our bodies both inside and out is an amazing way to begin turning the tide in our homes. It is unfortunate that we have to go to such lengths to prevent the selfishness of others from harming those we lone. But we can’t expect anyone else to put our family’s needs and well-being first, so we have to be their first line of defense and help other women like ourselves in the process.

Affordability

I wouldn’t be honest if I pretended as though high-quality natural fabrics are equally affordable for everyone. It is true that natural fabrics are more expensive than synthetic fabrics, partly because they are quality fabrics, unlike their plastic counterparts, but also because of the lack in demand for them as they aren’t as easily accessible.

So, What Are Your Options?

1. Consider Starting Small

Though you may want to replace all the fabric in your house, it can get really expensive REALLY fast. So, take it one garment at a time, or as much as you are able to do at one time. Maybe think about starting with what comes in direct contact with your skin for the longest period of time and go from there.

2. A Shift in Priorities May be Necessary 

There are times when we tell ourselves that we can’t afford certain things when really it’s just an issue with our priorities. I’ll use myself as an example, I was convinced that I couldn’t afford to start replacing my synthetic fabrics with natural ones.

But when I looked at my spending it said differently. I had no issues affording to eat out or buying things I wanted on Amazon and those weekly trips to Target. I had to make the lifestyle switch to natural fabrics a priority, and now I no longer have any clothes that are synthetic. Us getting out of toxic clothes needed to be that important to me.

3. Start with Cotton

Cotton is the cheapest of the natural fabrics. So consider replacing all of your synthetic clothes with cotton until you can move on to better-quality fabrics.

4. Do the Absolute Best You Can

In all you do, do the absolute best you can. What matters most is that you try to the very best of your ability when trying to live a healthier lifestyle with your family. Give it all you can when you can and you’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish.

“We have the power to minimize risks to our health by taking simple precautions and practicing mindfulness about the clothing choices and buying options that we still have.”

I pray this information was as helpful to you as it was to me. As always, if you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to comment below or email me directly here!