Many parents take care of feeding their children only healthy food. At the same time, few people know what kind of danger is an unfair-quality clothing from China. At first, most children do not show some noticeable reaction. However, the influence of chemicals in such clothing for a long time or in large quantities in some can cause an allergic reaction, rash or more serious health problems.
In some cases, the Commission on Consumer Goods Safety (CBST), the Federal United States Agency, which explores such products as children's clothing, can be intercepting hazardous products. However, many products pass unnoticed. Customs officers check only certain toxins, while the Commission (CST) checks only a small part of products through budget and personnel restrictions.
China is the world's largest manufacturer of textile products, however, Chinese manufacturers are not the only offenders. Many companies around the world give their production to outsourcing to countries with low costs and cheap workforce to obtain maximum profits. Medical restrictions in these countries are often not strict and allow international brands to use hazardous chemicals for processing and painting clothes.
Below are 5 potentially dangerous toxic chemicals discovered in clothing, manufactured in China.
1. Lead
Purpose: Manufacturers using lead receive deadly products. Lead is often used to apply brightly painted coatings and drawings on goods.
Impact on the body: According to the Center for the Control and Prevention of Diseases, the excessive lead content may affect almost any system in the body. And since there are no obvious signs of its harmful effects on health, they often do not pay attention to. According to the Mayo Foundation (Mayo), which is engaged in medical education and research, the lead of children under 6 years of age can seriously affect their mental and physical development.
Example: In April of this year, the US Federal Customs Service detained a batch of pink children's clothing imported from China due to excessive lead content. The goods were destroyed in accordance with the law on hazardous substances. Similarly, in March, customs officers seized several thousand backpacks produced in China and children's bags for dinners intracable lead level contained in zipper.
2. NFF (eetoxylate nonylphenol and nonylphenol)
Purpose: The NFF usually occurs in industrial detergents that are used for washing textile products.
Impact on the body: According to the American Agency for Environmental Protection, accumulating in body tissues, the NFF may disrupt the work of hormones and lead to problems with the development of reproductive functions.
Example: In 2013, the Greenpeace non-governmental organization, based in the United States, announced the results of the study of two main centers for the production of children's goods in China. These centers produce 40% of children's clothing of the whole country, a significant part of which is exported to states such as the United States. Researchers found that more than half of all products contains NUF substances.
3. Fttaalates
Purpose: According to the Centers for the Control and Prevention of Diseases, they are often called plasticizers that are used to make plastic more flexible and durable. Phthalates are present in many household items, ranging from detergents to food packaging and cosmetics. In the textile industry, they usually occur in plastisol printing, rubber materials used to create images and logos on T-shirts.
Impact on the body: Like endocrine destroyers, phthalates may disrupt the level of hormones and even contribute to the occurrence of breast cancer and breast.
Example: In the mentioned study of the Greenpeace of Chinese textile centers, the high content of phthalates was detected in two samples taken.
4. PFC (perfluorinated and polyfluoride chemicals)
Purpose: These substances are used in order to create a water-repellent coating. Mainly applied in the production of such goods as rain jackets and shoes.
Impact on the body: According to the National Institute of Ecology and the US Environment, in studies of the influence of PFC-compound animals, violations of the normal activity of endocrine activity have a decrease in the functions of the immune system, as well as a negative impact on the liver and pancreatic functions. At the moment, the effect on the human body is not fully understood, but various combinations of the above chemicals led to kidney and cancer diseases.
Example: Another Greenpeace report for 2014 reported to study eighty-two clothes for children and babies, a third of which are produced in China. The organization's specialists protested five types of chemical compounds regularly used in the textile industry. One of them - PFH - was found immediately in several test products. And one swimsuit Adidas contained PFC substances more than was allowed by the manufacturer's own norms.
5. Formaldehyde
Purpose: Formaldehyde is contained in all sorts of economic goods, such as shampoos and cosmetics, as well as in building materials and furniture. It is widely used in the textile industry to give products the properties not to crush, which also helps to avoid accumulation of bacteria and fungus in the folds of clothing during transportation.
Impact on the body: According to the National Institute of US Cancer, the prolonged effect of formaldehyde can cause nausea, burning in the eyes, nose and throat, cough, and skin irritation. Although this chemical substance is often called a carcinogen, for most people the reaction is most dangerous that formaldehyde can cause is allergic contact dermatitis.
Example: In 2010, a study conducted by the main American supervision of the US government has revealed some textile products with exceeding the permissible norms in terms of formaldehyde. The report included such products produced in China, like hats for small boys, in which the formaldehyde content was 206 units in 100,000,000, which more than twice the norm exceeded. For very sensitive people suffering from contact dermatitis, the excess of the chemical content of only 30 units can already cause an allergic reaction.
Tips for parents
1. Avoid products, it does not occur, no moths are afraid, which is resistant to wear, as well as avoid vogeneous clothing.
2. Choose clothing made of natural products (hemp, organic cotton, flax, silk or wool), as synthetic products can cause an allergic reaction. Also, preference should be provided with organic cotton before normal, since the latter is often grown using a large number of fertilizers.
3. Change clothes more often, it has direct contact with the skin.
4. Try to stay away from sandals, boots or rain shoes, fully made of rubber or plastic materials.
5. Avoid things with images deposited using plastisol printing.
6. Pay attention to the stores that sell clothing from natural materials.
7. Put new clothes before putting it.
A source