Your Clothes Are Making You Sick

Have you ever put on a new shirt and discovered that it makes you feel itchy? Or taken off a new pair of pants at the end of the day to find that the fabric has given you a rash? This problem is increasingly common as more chemicals are added to our clothing when they’re dyed or treated with additives that make them resistant to stains, wrinkles, and odors. Some of these chemicals are irritants that can cause breathing problems or skin issues. Others are toxic enough to trigger life-altering autoimmune diseases. Since the fashion industry operates within loose regulations, the problem of toxic apparel isn’t going away anytime soon.

This week on Gadget Lab, we’re joined by journalist and author Alden Wicker. Her new book is called To Dye For: How Toxic Fashion Is Making Us Sick—and How We Can Fight Back. We discuss the wide range of chemicals, dyes, and treatments that go into our clothes and offer tips on how to avoid the worst offenders while shopping for a new wardrobe.

Show Notes

Alden’s book is To Dye For. It’s out this week from G.P. Putnam’s Sons; buy it wherever books are sold. She is the editor of the sustainable fashion publication EcoCult. Also read Alden’s reporting on the fashion industry for WIRED.

Recommendations

Alden recommends Vermont. Lauren recommends tzatziki sauce. Mike recommends The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin.

Alden Wicker can be found on Twitter @AldenWicker. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. Michael Calore is @snackfight. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. The show is produced by Boone Ashworth (@booneashworth). Our theme music is by Solar Keys. 

How to Listen

You can always listen to this week’s podcast through the audio player on this page, but if you want to subscribe for free to get every episode, here’s how:

If you’re on an iPhone or iPad, open the app called Podcasts, or just tap this link. You can also download an app like Overcast or Pocket Casts and search for Gadget Lab. If you use Android, you can find us in the Google Podcasts app by tapping here. We’re on Spotify too. And in case you really need it, here’s the RSS feed.

Transcript

Michael Calore: Lauren.

Lauren Goode: Mike.

Michael Calore: Lauren, I like this shirt that you’re wearing. Where did you get it?