Cute But Deadly
Posted: Saturday, May 02, 2009
by Grammy Guru
http://grammyguru.com
Ah-ha moments come to many of us all the time. Some of them are the garden variety ah-ha kind, some are the hybrid AH-HA types.
Recently, I had an AH-HA moment that took my breath away.
As a grammy, I often purchase clothing for the little ones, mostly from the sale rack, unless it's for a very special occasion. My purchase is determine by several criteria: affordability, ease of fabric care and cuteness. I'm partial to clothing made from natural fibers such as cotton or wool, but, until very recently, I thought it was impractical to buy garments made from these fibers. Cotton wrinkles like mad and wool often feels scratchy. And, good luck finding cute cotton and wool children's outfits.
Then came Earth Day this year and Fabien Cousteau speaking on national television about how toxins in clothing are poisoning our children. Okay, I admit, before hearing Mr. Cousteau, I didn't pay any attention to what was in footed p.j.'s, silk screened tee shirts and little girl party dresses. Now, thanks to Mr. Cousteau, I'm in clothing purgatory. I now am aware:
"a 2001 study by Scotchguard maker 3M found that PCF's (perfluorinated chemicals) showed up in the blood of 96 percent of the children tested, some showing levels ten times as high as the average. According to the EPA, PFC's, added to clothing to make it wrinkle-free, are cancer causing compounds.
there are over six hundred additional chemicals used in the fabric finishing process, many contain known allergens, carcinogens and mutagens
ninety-five percent of printing on clothing done with plastic inks release toxic substances that can disturb the endocrine and nervous systems and expose children to carcinogens
there are twelve pounds of synthetic chemicals used per acre of planted, non organic cotton in the U.S.
chlorine bleaches, formaldehyde, silicone based softeners and optical whiteners and dyes are all routinely used in processing clothing
clothing and fabric treated with flame-retardant chemicals, such as children's pajamas, emit formaldehyde gas.
chemicals used in synthetic clothing have been linked to health problems, including cancer, immune system damage, behavioral problems and hormone disruption"
Last week, while I was in Nordstrom's, I saw the loveliest little girls dresses that had just been marked down seventy-five percent. Then I read the dress labels and had to put every one of them back on the rack. Cute dresses, deadly toxins.
Recently, I had an AH-HA moment that took my breath away.
As a grammy, I often purchase clothing for the little ones, mostly from the sale rack, unless it's for a very special occasion. My purchase is determine by several criteria: affordability, ease of fabric care and cuteness. I'm partial to clothing made from natural fibers such as cotton or wool, but, until very recently, I thought it was impractical to buy garments made from these fibers. Cotton wrinkles like mad and wool often feels scratchy. And, good luck finding cute cotton and wool children's outfits.
"a 2001 study by Scotchguard maker 3M found that PCF's (perfluorinated chemicals) showed up in the blood of 96 percent of the children tested, some showing levels ten times as high as the average. According to the EPA, PFC's, added to clothing to make it wrinkle-free, are cancer causing compounds.
there are over six hundred additional chemicals used in the fabric finishing process, many contain known allergens, carcinogens and mutagens
ninety-five percent of printing on clothing done with plastic inks release toxic substances that can disturb the endocrine and nervous systems and expose children to carcinogens
there are twelve pounds of synthetic chemicals used per acre of planted, non organic cotton in the U.S.
chlorine bleaches, formaldehyde, silicone based softeners and optical whiteners and dyes are all routinely used in processing clothing
clothing and fabric treated with flame-retardant chemicals, such as children's pajamas, emit formaldehyde gas.
chemicals used in synthetic clothing have been linked to health problems, including cancer, immune system damage, behavioral problems and hormone disruption"
Last week, while I was in Nordstrom's, I saw the loveliest little girls dresses that had just been marked down seventy-five percent. Then I read the dress labels and had to put every one of them back on the rack. Cute dresses, deadly toxins.
That night, I dreamed my granddaughter was in the pediatric unit, hooked up to an I.V. drip because her immune system had been compromised from wearing toxic clothing, 24-7, and she couldn't fight off a relatively harmless infection.
I began to dread the next clothes buying season--preschool. I imagined hearing the other grammys and parents as they stare at my grandbabies,"What cute children. But look at their clothing! Are they wearing unironed pillowcases?" One of them might even point to my granddaughter, aka Sugarplum, or grandson, aka, Lovebug, and say piteously, "Who dresses children like that?"
I know I will have to look compassionately at that misinformed lot and say calmly and with resolve, "One who loves her grandchildren too much to poison their systems with deadly, clothing toxins."
A friend, who's aware Sugarplum and Lovebug are dancing and flitting, respectively, on the edge of the preschool, fashion faux pas precipice, called yesterday to inform me that J.C. Penney, Wal-Mart and Barneys are launching attractive, eco-friendly, organic clothing lines very soon.
"Relax, Grammy," she said cheerfully, "soon you'll have organic clothing options galore, and Sugarplum and Lovebug won't look like unmade beds this fall."
AH-HA. I can breathe now.
I began to dread the next clothes buying season--preschool. I imagined hearing the other grammys and parents as they stare at my grandbabies,"What cute children. But look at their clothing! Are they wearing unironed pillowcases?" One of them might even point to my granddaughter, aka Sugarplum, or grandson, aka, Lovebug, and say piteously, "Who dresses children like that?"
I know I will have to look compassionately at that misinformed lot and say calmly and with resolve, "One who loves her grandchildren too much to poison their systems with deadly, clothing toxins."
A friend, who's aware Sugarplum and Lovebug are dancing and flitting, respectively, on the edge of the preschool, fashion faux pas precipice, called yesterday to inform me that J.C. Penney, Wal-Mart and Barneys are launching attractive, eco-friendly, organic clothing lines very soon.
"Relax, Grammy," she said cheerfully, "soon you'll have organic clothing options galore, and Sugarplum and Lovebug won't look like unmade beds this fall."
AH-HA. I can breathe now.
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More commentsThanks for sharing this info grammy!I think I'm going to forward this link to my daughter and daughter in law.NPlease log in to respond to this comment.Glad you found it useful, Nila.Best wishesPlease log in to respond to this comment.
Dear Grammy Guru,You are a real Guru, a teacher. Thanks for the very imformative article. We taught me something today.Thank you.Your fan,NenitaPlease log in to respond to this comment.Glad to be of service!Best wishes,GrammyPlease log in to respond to this comment.
Great article. Well done.Organic clothes would not surprise me. But how do you make organic clothes?Please log in to respond to this comment.I leave making the clothes to the professionals, Connor. Target and Wal-Mart currently have organic clothing for children as do about a zillion websites. And the clothes are getting cuter because that's what the market is demanding right now.
Thanks for commenting.Please log in to respond to this comment.
I still like good old cotton. It's organic and has been use for hundreds of years. With tighter weaves, some cottons need very little ironing.Please log in to respond to this comment.You are right. Good old cotton can't be beaten. Thanks for reading and commenting.Please log in to respond to this comment.
Yikes! Something else to add to my list of "things to be concerns about for my new grandson". Seriously, Grammy, thanks for the info.Please log in to respond to this comment.So glad this was a useful article. Thanks for commenting.Please log in to respond to this comment.
Grammy, I would call this an OMG moment! Thank you so much, I had no idea.Please log in to respond to this comment.Ken, thanks for reading and commenting. I hope this information helps you and yours.Please log in to respond to this comment.
Grammy,You have knocked me on my rear with this one! I am truly grateful for you sharing this with us.Please log in to respond to this comment.Thanks for reading. I'm glad the article was useful to you.Please log in to respond to this comment.
Very interesting information, with two young children organic clothing is something i will have to look into, i would never of thought that childrens clothing could be dangerous. It is a strange world we live in at times. Great article as usual.Please log in to respond to this comment.Dear Samuel,It is true we live in a strange world. Being an advocate for the health of one's own children is quite a daunting task at times. With Target and Wal-Mart coming out with their own organic clothing lines, we can expect more reasonable prices for safe clothing. It sounds as if you are a proactive parent, and I wish you every good thing on your journey to keep your lovely children safe and healthy. Thanks for writing!GrammyPlease log in to respond to this comment.
Great article keep up the good workPlease log in to respond to this comment.Thanks for reading and commenting.Please log in to respond to this comment.
there was great information in this article that I was not aware of - however - i personally try not to get caught up in the extreme side of life. If I have to choose what to be paranoid about for my children - I guess it would be more for what they ingest instead of what they wear.Please log in to respond to this comment.The problem with the chemicals in clothing is they have a cumulative effect in a child's body, much like eating food sprayed with toxic chemicals over a period of time. These chemicals don't belong in either food or clothing, and ought to come with warning labels, like cigarette packages.Thanks for reading and commenting.Please log in to respond to this comment.
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