Have you pulled a shirt out of a package and thought it smelled funny?
Kinda like a weird indescribable smell. Or maybe like a sweet tart?
It hits you at first and you think, “aaack, what IS that?”
The smell gets less intense in a few minutes, but still lingers when you bring the shirt into the house.
After a few washings, it still smells odorous. And you know it’s not your b.o.
Why do shirts smell bad?
That bad smell that hits ya fresh-out-of-the-bag is created from the chemicals that are used to make the dyes or finishes in and on your shirt (and other clothing).
Different dyes and finishes are used on different types of materials.
Take synthetic man-made materials (polyester, nylon, acrylic) that are made from chemical mixtures in a lab [bwsssahahahaha!]. Synthetic materials grab onto synthetic dyes better than natural ones. So, manufacturers typically use the two synthetics together. Here’s what happens:
synthetic material
+ synthetic dyes
+ synthetic finishes
= a whole lotta chemicals in your shirts
Natural materials (cotton, wool, linen) can have either natural dyes or synthetic dyes. Synthetic dyes are typically less expensive so are often used by manufacturers; however, there are companies that use natural dyes rather than synthetic. Here’s how it looks chemically speaking:
natural material (non-organic, with pesticides)
+ synthetic dyes
+synthetic finishes
= still many chemicals in your shirts
Organic material (organic cotton, organic wool, organic linen) is both natural and free of pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, and other chemicals used during the growing process. Organic material can be dyed with natural or synthetic dyes.
It’s surprising to me the amount of companies that use synthetic dyes and finishes on organic materials – just a little something to be aware of. I wouldn’t want you to think that your clothing was all organic just because the material is.
Truly organic, chemical-free shirts look like this:
organic natural material
+natural dye or color grown
+no finishes
= best option for chemical-free or nontoxic shirts
If it smells bad is it bad for me?
Smell is not the end-all-be-all indicator of toxicity. Take flowers for example. Many flowers don’t affect human health (unless you have a flower allergy). However, smell is one of the indicators that chemicals are likely added to the clothes you’re buying.
In the case of shirts that smell gross, sweet or simply… well, like chemicals… it’s very likely that the dyes and finishes used are made from man-made chemicals that may be harmful to your health.
How do I pick shirts with dyes and finishes that are nontoxic?
Go all in and get the least toxic shirt that you can. That means taking into consideration three things: material, dye, and finishes.
What to look for:
- material – organic cotton, organic wool, organic linen, organic hemp
- dyes – color grown (means the color is the natural seed color vs. dyed), natural dyes, or if you can’t find either of those two low-impact dyes (which has some controversy around it’s ‘healthiness’)
- finishes – none!
Top 2 easy ways to choose nontoxic shirts
I’m all about the simple things in life. When it comes to picking shirts, it’s no different. Here are the top two guidelines to follow when choosing nontoxic shirts:
“GOTS Organic” Certified is the way to go.
The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) has two types of certification:
- ‘Organic’ – means the shirt has 95%-100% organic materials
- ‘Made With Organic’ – means the shirt has 70% or more organic materials
They are recognized world-wide for their certification process, and they’re the toughest standards I’ve come across. I love tough. It makes my life easier to find these A+ chemical-free shirt makers.
Of the two GOTS certifications, the GOTS Organic has the best chance of having the least chemicals, so go with that option.
Things GOTS considers for certification are:
- material
- dyes
- finishes
- buttons, zippers, other notions
- tags
- packaging
- water, energy, consumption, use, treatment
- social criteria – livable wages, child labor practices, humane treatment, etc.
Health Conscious Retailers are fantastic.
When I say health conscious retailers, I am referring to retailers that carry healthier merchandise, use healthier cleaners, and have a concern for people’s health. Some signs that companies are health conscious are:
- no fragrance sprayers are present
- company policies are clear that chemicals (dyes, finishes, materials) are not used or are minimal
- cleaning products are nontoxic
- company mission expresses concern about people’s health and chemicals in products
- they carry GOTS certified clothing, bedding or other textiles
Conclusion
Shirts that smell funny, sweet, odd, or like rotten eggs can have a man-made synthetic chemical added to them. Just because it smells bad doesn’t mean it’s toxic, but it’s a good indicator that some type of chemical has been added. These synthetic chemicals can be in the material, dye, and/or finish and may be causing common health conditions.
I’m all about simplicity, so here are two simple ways to look for truly nontoxic shirts: look for the ‘GOTS Organic’ certification, and shop at health conscious retailers. Simple and straight forward. Go shop!
And live life – organic & chemical-free.
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