Finishing textiles: How harmful are the chemicals in our clothes?

«Oils, oils, waxes and paraffins are plasticizers. This means they make textiles more flexible. If they are to be water-repellent, among other things, silicones are used. Fluorinated hydrocarbons are used for oil and dirt-repellent clothing. Optical brighteners prevent yellowing or graying of fabrics. Polyamide derivatives make synthetic fibers more absorbent and are used, for example, in nylon stockings or corsets to keep them dry when you sweat.”

«Harmful chemicals can no longer be used in textiles in Switzerland and the EU. Companies are checked and random checks are carried out regularly. However, in countries outside of Europe, the same strict laws do not apply everywhere, and everything that comes into the market is not generally controlled. So, for example, a garment containing heavy metals in concentrations prohibited here could come into our shop.”

“Even natural ingredients can cause allergic reactions and respiratory problems. Sericion protein found in raw silk can trigger strong allergic reactions. Therefore, it is washed during pretreatment. However, the most common adverse reactions are of a physical nature. The tags or texture of wool can irritate sensitive skin so much that in the worst case, eczema can develop.

“In the field of so-called ‘green chemistry’, new innovative alternatives are constantly being developed, such as dyes from beet skin or egg dyes as they are known, from onions. The challenge is to achieve consistent, lightfast color quality in large quantities. The textile industry is taking great steps in this area.”

«In Switzerland, textiles are regulated in food law as objects in contact with the skin. There, the use of certain chemicals is prohibited or restricted, and banned lists are made in coordination with the EU. There is no declaration requirement, the cantonal food inspectorates have to monitor the market and ensure compliance with the law.”

“There are a lot of special seals of approval for this. One of the best known is the Oekotex 100 standard, in which textiles are tested for harmful substances by external laboratories as they enter the store. Overall, it’s worth checking if clothing brands are following a sustainability strategy. With a brand selling T-shirts for less than 4 francs new, that’s unlikely.”