GOTS-certified clothing can be expensive and synthetics make up ~70% of clothing being manufactured & sold today. So, what if we figured out how to make synthetic safe to wear?

This is an idea I wanted to put into the world in case someone with the ability to create it sees this...

Problem: There’s growing research and concern around synthetic and oil-based clothing materials (polyester, nylon, acrylic, elastane & blends) and their potential health effects when worn.

Some of the concerns that keep coming up include:

• Endocrine disruption from certain textile finishes, dyes, plasticizers, and additives (some known to interfere with hormone signaling even at low, repeated exposures)
• Skin absorption and transfer of residual chemicals, especially when fabrics are worn tightly, during sweating, or over large surface areas
• Chronic irritation and inflammation, particularly for people with eczema, allergies, mast-cell issues or sensitive skin
• Off-gassing of volatile compounds (that “new clothes smell”) that stays trapped close to the body
• Microplastic and microfiber shedding, which can increase friction, irritation & exposure over time

What makes this really concerning is that clothing is a constant exposure pathway. Unlike food or cosmetics, most people wear their synthetic clothing 8–16 hours a day, often in close contact with skin (underwear, bras, sleepwear, athletic wear, baby clothes).

The most common advice right now is “just buy organic / GOTS-certified clothing.” But that assumes people have the money to replace an entire wardrobe, which is not realistic for most people.

Idea: What if there were an at-home clothing treatment (for example, a rinse-cycle additive or coating) designed to reduce skin exposure from synthetic-blend fabrics? Maybe we can't completely detox our synthetic clothing but what if we can reduce some of the harm it has on our health. I've researched a bit and could not find anyone working on any treatments or products that make synthetic clothing safer/healthier for us to wear.

In theory, such a treatment would:

• require no heat
• be fragrance-free
• bind well to an array of fibers
• reduce the transfer of residual chemicals and microplastics
• reduce irritation
• reduce off-gassing
• even reduce fiber deterioration

A cost-conscious, harm-reducing treatment for the synthetics & blends we already own. I’d love to hear whether something like this is technically feasible, already being explored or why anyone thinks it wouldn’t work.

I’m sharing this because it feels like a possible solution to a clothing market where "approximately 60% to nearly 70% of clothing sold today is made from synthetic, oil-based fibers like polyester, nylon & acrylic. This high reliance on petrochemicals, often driven by the fast-fashion industry, is expected to increase, with some estimates suggesting synthetic materials will reach 73% of total production by 2030."

Thanks you guys. Stay safe & healthy!!
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