Yes, you read it correctly – toxic clothing. There is never a dull moment in Mrs. Green’s World and this show will be no exception. Want to hear about synthetic fibers and how the fashion industry deceives consumers? About green washing AND white washing tactics? Tune in to learn about the link between chemicals on our clothing and the illnesses they are related to. Starting up close and personal with things like undies and bedding and moving on to how we can all be a part of strengthening the organic textile movement, this show already lights my bright green fire and truly gets me all worked up.
SHOW NOTES
INSIGHTS
- What are synthetic fibers and why are they harmful? Some synthetic (man-made) fibers include polyester, rayon, and nylon. Many synthetic fibers are made out of fossil fuels or processed with chemicals like formaldehyde, ammonia, acetone, just to name a few. These chemicals are probable carcinogens and harmful to our health.
- Rayon is made from recycled wood pulp that needs to be treated with a soup of harmful chemicals in order to break down into a fiber. It has been linked to chest pain, headaches, muscle pain, anorexia, and Parkinson’s disease for those who wear it on a regular basis.
- There are 1,900 chemicals in textiles that cannot be washed out and everyday we are absorbing those chemicals, Patricia says.
- Our clothing is cheap because it is made out of harmful materials that are inexpensive to produce, but are expensive to our health, our environment, and the workers in the garment industry.
- Textile waste ends up in the landfill, contaminating the soil, affecting ground water, and contributing to methane emissions (the second dangerous greenhouse gas affecting our climate).
- Listen to the full podcast to learn more about the work Patricia is doing to help transform our garment industry, why we need to think about our bed sheets, and how we can be better aware of what kind of clothing we are buying.
GET INFORMED!
GET ACTIVE!
- Before buying clothing/textiles, look at the label to see what it is made out of. If possible, purchase quality materials, which may seem more expensive, but will last much longer than their conventional counterparts.
- Shop small organic and eco-friendly clothing companies, some examples are listed here
- Learn more about the health impacts of toxic apparel here