Our clothes are full of chemical molecules, some of which are not recommended for the health of the skin. Unfortunately, the clothing industry is struggling to do without them at the moment... but while we wait for them to update themselves, here is some information...
The case of Formaldehyde: classified as a “substance known to be carcinogenic to humans” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. It is often present in synthetic clothing (polyester, viscose, acrylics, jersey, etc.). It helps to make clothing resistant, waterproof and crease-resistant. It is also used to fix dyes to prevent our clothes from fading when washed.
The problem with this molecule is that it is very volatile and causes irritation of the eyes and respiratory tract. And therefore, increases the risk of asthmatic pathologies and allergies, even at low doses.
We are only talking about formaldehyde here because we wanted to make the connection between textiles and allergies, but you should know that thousands of endocrine disruptors live in our clothes and cause very problematic atopic problems, but also hormonal imbalances, developmental delays in the fetus, eczema, etc.
Our tips for choosing clothes that will keep you clean.
- Washing your clothes before wearing them will remove metals and reduce all kinds of disruptors.
- For underwear in direct contact with the skin , avoid synthetics and prioritize natural and organic textiles (where possible)
- Favor natural textiles from the plant and mineral kingdoms (cotton, linen, hemp, bamboo, algae, etc.). Although at Kahnou, we avoid textiles from the animal kingdom (wool, silk, cashmere, etc.) for other reasons; if you are comfortable with them, you can wear them in the same way as textiles from plants, but favor fabrics not mixed with other toxic substances.
- Don't hesitate to conduct your own major investigation into the composition and origin of the textiles/clothing you wear.
Don’t hesitate to write to us to discuss it!