I have a bone to pick. It is bad enough our clothes mostly are made in China, Vietnam or in some gawd forsaken sweat shop, but now it is a matter of finding 100% cotton. This takes us to the realization of our farmlands and how the clothes industry has dismissed the breathability and health of cotton, instead opting to produce the petroleum saturated synthetic fabrics. And how do you feel with those fabrics on your body on a hot day in the city?
We can all thank God for the online purchasing power but yet, even online our available purchases are nill. I spent a good portion of a day just searching for one thing. It could be comfortable, wide width sandals with toe enclosures to protect my fragile toenails or it could be cotton nightgowns. It could be cotton tops that do not mimic a European housekeeper with a babouska or it could be cotton crop pants that has a little spandex. Forget about linen. Although linen is a true commodity long lost to the era's of the past. Linen is made from flax. I found some beautiful cotton tops ranging in prices I dare not repeat that would shock you into the next century. These brands come with an entitlement and a price that goes up into the high hundreds every year. That statement alone should give us pause.
The synthetic fabrics are toxic to our skin, our body. Polyester has reigned supreme now in all stores and especially plus size departments. There is no draw there for me. I used to shop the clearance rack at Nordstroms and that is a tragedy now. They have gone to polyester hell. Let me expound on the negative effects of polyester. They are unsaturated resins. Normally you would find these resins in sheet molding compounds, wall panels reinforced with fiberglass and in the toner of laser printers. Polyester resins are flammable. The care of those resins are done with gloves and a chemical respirator. That is the backstory.
http://www.ehow.com/about_6504388_polyester-respiratory-breathing-problems.html
The above link came to my attention.
Is your bedroom making you sick? That was another headline related to polyester brands of sheets. I buy 100% cotton sheets. This is where you lay your body 8 plus hours a day! Now I have since learned that even cotton is mostly treated with pesticides and the goal is to find organic cotton sheets. I know Company Store does have them online or in catalog. Virtually all bed sheets that say "easy care" and crease resistant and perma press are treated with formaldehyde.
Polyester fabrics when thrown away, will just sit in the dump and never breakdown. That got my attention! All that soft fleece polyester that is so cheap on the dollar is actually recycled plastic bottles. Patagonia brand is a scheme on that. They tout eco friendly but it is recycled polyester!
Any man made fabric is made from petrochemicals and contains plastics. It is finished off with formaldehydes. This has always been a concern of eco-friendly advocates, let alone health experts. Be mindful that alot of polyester fabrics are now blended with some cotton and you can be fooled. Wool presents another problem: organophosphate via sheep dip.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2860731.stm
Organophosphates, which are used in sheep dip, have been linked to excessive tiredness, headaches, limb pains, disturbed sleep, poor concentration, mood changes, and suicidal thoughts.
The chemicals are also at the centre of controversy over the mysterious illness suffered by veterans of the 1991 Gulf War.
My goal is to find organic cotton growers for fabrics that do not use pesticides. Also bamboo clothing is anti-microbial. Hemp clothing is making a revival. You can find at the HEMP store, Clothing works, Hemp Trading Company.
Rayon commonly called viscose, is made from cellulose which comes from plants. However, because of the wood pulp of the eucalyptus trees draws up alot of water, the wood pulp is treated with hazardous chemicals like caustic soda and sulphuric acid.
We can get all fired up about eco-friendly products and yet forget to put natural fibers on our body in the form of clothes or shoes on our feet. We can survive the onslaught of this synthetic race to create more havoc in our bodies with chemicals IF we get smarter.
Bettye Cart
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