[How About This Book] The Reason You Are Sick, Your Closet Knows

Clothing Frequently Using Harmful Chemicals
Airline Crew Members Wearing Uniforms
Experience Skin Rashes and Breathing Difficulties
Numerous Cases Warn of Caution
Claims of Increased Infertility and Immune Disorders

American chemical company 3M invented a compound called perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in the late 1940s. Fabrics treated with perfluorinated compounds like PFOA are lightweight and effectively repel stains and water. They were perfect for clothing requiring waterproof functions, such as hiking boots, raincoats, ski suits, and snowboard suits. 3M sold PFOA to DuPont. However, PFOA was a toxic substance. In 1961, 3M and DuPont secretly confirmed through research that exposure to PFOA causes various cancers, congenital defects, and DNA damage. But DuPont concealed this fact.

In 1999, American environmental lawyer Rob Bilott filed a lawsuit against DuPont, bringing the dangers of PFOA to public attention. Bilott, who was part of a law firm in Cincinnati, Ohio, had previously defended chemical companies including DuPont, but after witnessing a mass death of cattle on farms near areas where DuPont discharged wastewater, he targeted his former client. Bilott’s story was made into the 2019 film Dark Waters, directed by Todd Haynes. It is also mentioned in the book Exposure: Poisoned Water, Corporate Greed, and One Lawyer’s Twenty-Year Battle against DuPont by American journalist Alden Wicker.

The book begins with the story of flight attendants from the American low-cost airline Alaska Airlines. In December 2010, they received new uniforms made by the manufacturer Twin Hill. However, after wearing the new uniforms, some Alaska Airlines flight attendants developed skin rashes and experienced breathing difficulties. The uniforms made by Twin Hill were coated with DuPont’s perfluorinated chemical Teflon. In November 2012, Alaska Airlines flight attendants filed a class-action lawsuit against Twin Hill. Although Alaska Airlines switched its uniform supplier to Lands’ End in July 2013, it did not acknowledge the claims that Twin Hill’s uniforms were problematic.

[How About This Book] The Reason You Are Sick, Your Closet Knows

In Exposure: Poisoned Water, Corporate Greed, and One Lawyer’s Twenty-Year Battle against DuPont, Wicker warns that the clothes we wear contain numerous harmful substances unknown to us, and these substances can threaten our health and even our lives. According to Wicker, some garments contain more than 50 different chemicals. She lists countless cases and research findings to urge caution.

With so many cases presented, one might wonder if the author is being overly sensitive or inducing excessive fear.

What is most surprising when reading the book is that similar cases keep recurring. Even after reports of harm caused by chemical substances, proper follow-up actions or countermeasures are not implemented.

American Airlines flight attendants suffered similar hardships in 2016 due to Twin Hill uniforms, and uniform issues continued at Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and Xantas. PFOA is also present all around us because it does not break down, and companies continue to produce new perfluorinated compounds like PFOA. Accidents caused by harmful chemicals are difficult to control fundamentally because new chemicals are constantly being produced, and it is challenging to assess their toxicity one by one.

According to the author, the U.S. Toxic Substances Control Act enacted in 1976 allowed the use of as many as 64,000 chemicals without any testing. Since the 1980s, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has not banned a single chemical. It is difficult to test every new chemical, and although there may be side effects, new chemicals provide significant convenience. Naturally, regulations on chemicals tend to be lax.

For example, the concept of chemical safety is regulated by dividing it into hazard and risk. Hazard refers to the inherent danger of a chemical, while risk is a combination of the chemical’s inherent danger and the likelihood of exposure to it. For instance, mercury is a hazardous substance by itself, but a mercury thermometer is allowed if it is kept out of children’s reach. Moreover, the United States, as the birthplace of capitalism, considers the economic impact on companies that produce and sell products despite the risks posed to consumers.

In the U.S., the number of women seeking infertility treatment increased by 37% between 2004 and 2011. The miscarriage rate has also increased by 1% annually. In 2017, a study was published showing that men’s sperm counts have dropped by more than 50% over the past 40 years. The author argues that these changes in our bodies may be due to environmental factors caused by chemicals. The increase in autoimmune diseases of unknown cause may also be linked to chemicals we are unaware of.

The author advises that to protect oneself from harmful chemicals, one must think more deeply about this issue and take an interest in it. She concludes by sharing her own know-how. She recommends trusted brands that pay attention to identifying and eliminating toxic substances, such as H&M, Nike, Levi’s, Patagonia, and Eileen Fisher. She also suggests referring to organizations that certify the safe use of chemicals, such as Oeko-Tex and Bluesign, and wearing clothes made from materials like cotton, silk, hemp, cashmere, linen, wool, alpaca, rayon, lyocell, and modal. Additionally, she advises avoiding dry cleaning, which uses many chemicals.