Mixing Fabrics can be Life-Threatening

 Have you ever been allergic to a person?

That time when one may giddy along the moment that leads to watery eyes, tickly nose, and the urge to itch the skin before noticing the same person who witnessed the last episode.

“You make my skin itch.” A phrase commonly mistaken as a joke.

Yet one might’ve never noticed the symptoms that occurred when standing next to that person- burying the experience deep in the subconscious.

One may go as far as developing negative feelings and relationships towards said person all due to the subtle signals the body sent to defend the host from an undetected allergen.

Well, it is not actually the person. Those allergy-like symptoms can occur from contact with harsh materials that are infused together during the process of creating fabric.

The person in question might have purchased from the same manufacturing company, store, or business owner— thus owning the same type of material in several clothing items.

You might’ve subconsciously noticed an itchy sensation during a mutual hug. This may create a false sense of awareness that one may be allergic to a person when indeed it is the fabric of the clothes.

Imagine if you have to wear the same material in the daytime and while you sleep. When would you ever get a break from being in contact with said chemical?

HOW IS FABRIC CREATED

The usage of fabric began after ancient civilizations upgraded from the usage of leaves, animal skin, and fur as clothing.

Fabric is created by transforming textiles into yarns and fibres for a clothing base material. Most fabrics are created through a process of weaving and knitting, but there are other methods such as felting and bonding, interlacing, needle weaving, and sew-knitting.

HISTORY CREATING FABRICS

The introduction of wool, cotton, silk, and linen occurred thousands of years ago in the middle east. The middle east was also the first to introduce leather over seven thousand years ago.

Linen was established as the first upgraded clothing material by the Israelites. Linen is still used today, even for quality bedspreads.

The ancient Indus civilization, (now known as Pakistan,) was the earliest written urban culture in the middle east to repurpose cotton as the best quality material for clothing, which currently still holds truth.

WHAT CAUSES ALLERGIES TO FABRICS

The textile fabric industry is off the radar when it comes to allergy triggers. Who would categorize clothes as something that is life-threatening? Especially in today’s era where even doctors refuse to target the cause to ensure consistent income. As long as everyone is getting paid, then it shouldn’t matter is the motto of the twenty-first century.

In their defense, it’s the middleman in the back that has more knowledge of the textile-fabric process…and of course me.

Developing allergy-like symptoms, cancers, mental and other physical conditions from clothes is due to the introduction of the textiles intertwining and processed using hazardous and harsh chemicals. Below is a list of radical clothing material and their solutions.

Athletic Wear:

Cause: We all love a good body suit or two-piece jogging outfit. Yet the very things we love can do great harm to us. Synthetic fabrics are treated with chemicals such as phthalates and nonylphenol ethoxylates to prevent one from drenching in sweat and wreaking of must. Those chemicals will backfire and cause skin cancers, ADHD, asthma, diabetes, and liver issues.

Cure: Luckily, there’s always an alternative for a healthier lifestyle. Merino wool is a natural fabric derived from a sheep. It is known to have the same effects for preventing sweat and clearing odor while exercising. Always search for merino wool athletic wear.

Leather

Cause: Leather is extremely controversial in the textile industry. Simply put leather is the remnants of a dead animal that has been preserved for people to use it for clothing. The preservatives are hazardous chemicals, such as formaldehyde, arsenic, and mineral salts, that can cause skin irritation and respiratory cancer.

Cure: The fashion industry has a tight grip on leather and understandably, it is not going anywhere, anytime soon. There are alternatives to wearing material that resembles leather. Cork leather is a plant-based leather that grows from the cork oak tree. Ocean leather is made of kelp and piñatex is a newer leather from fibers of pineapple leaves.

Water-Resisting, Stain-Prevention, and Wrinkle-Free

Cause: Clothing material with superhero powers is odd. While there are natural materials that will give similar effects, the clothes that give drastic effects must be questioned and investigated. Water-resisting clothes, like raincoats use toxic chemicals such as polyfluoroalkyl substances that can last for thousands of years. No wonder these clothes have such superhero effects. The same chemical is also found in stain-resisting clothes. The chemical can lead to developmental issues, kidney cancer, testicular cancer, and liver damage. Wrinkle-free clothes uses formaldehyde which may lead to dermatitis, asthma, nausea, and cancer.

Cure: A natural water-proof alternative is waxed cotton and boiled wool. Cotton is already deemed best in the clothing industry and giving it a wax coating creates a repellant to water. Wool is already water-resistant, while boiling it will increase the resistance. Cashmere and alpaca fleece are more costly but are well known as wrinkle-proof.

SYMPTOMS OF FABRIC ALLERGIES

Fear not if you’ve never experienced an allergen to a person. In fact, it’s actually rare for the chemicals in the fabric to be airborne. Of course, we understand unusual occurrences can happen like in “People are Allergic to Condoms and other Unusual Allergens.”

In the case of fabrics, most allergic reactions from occur through skin contact. After putting on a garment one may notice irritation occurring within minutes to hours.

Textile dermatitis, also known as clothing dermatitis, is a form of skin contact allergies that causes the skin to react to the fibers, dyes, and other chemicals that were used to create the fabric in question.

Symptoms to that may occur includes:

• Itchy, red, and scaly skin
• Red rash within minutes of contact
• Dry skin
• Abdominal pain
• Shortness of breath
• Runny or stuffy nose

FABRICS FOR SENSITIVE SKIN

The textile manufacturing process is harsh to citizens with sensitive skin. Many textile companies understand the reactions that occur when mixing textiles, so they refrain from the procedure. Yet, man-made and synthetic fibers are still a thing- making it difficult to avoid experiencing an allergic reaction to the mixing of fabrics.

TREATMENT FOR TEXTILE DERMATITIS

After discovering you may be allergic to a certain fabric, it is recommended to avoid the material altogether. Understandably, avoidance may be difficult.

• Oatmeal Baths
• Baking soda Baths
• Moisture Creams
• Medications
• Oral Steroids

WHEN TO SEEK HELP

Treating textile dermatitis is usually easy to do at home, but if you notice worsening symptoms including pain, it is wise to seek medical attention from a dermatologist.