Toxic Chemicals in Branded Clothing?

Fourteen top clothing brands have traces of toxic chemicals that are harmful to human health and the environment within them, Greenpeace has discovered, according to Agence France Presse.

Traces of the chemicals, known as nonylphenol ethoxylates or NPEs, were found in such brands as Adidas, Uniqlo, Calvin Klein, H&M, Abercrombie & Fitch, Lacoste, Converse and Ralph Lauren, Greenpeace reported in its study, “Dirty Laundry 2,” according to the AFP.

Two thirds of the clothing tested had traces of the chemical, Greenpeace campaigner Li Yifang said. "NPEs break down to form nonylphenol, which has toxic, persistent and hormone-disrupting properties," Li said, AFP reports. "It mimics female hormones, alters sexual development and affects reproductive systems."

Greenpeace bought 78 branded clothing samples manufactured in 18 countries (but mostly from China, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines) for scientific testing. "Even at low levels, it represents a big threat to the environment and human health," Li said. "This is not just a problem for the developing countries where textiles are made. Since residual levels of NPEs are released when clothes are washed, they are in effect creeping into countries where their use is banned."

In response, Adidas tells BusinessGreen that “it is talking to competing sportswear brands, including Nike and Puma, as part of efforts to develop an industry-wide commitment to detoxing the supply chain.”

Other brands involved, according to an Adidas spokeswoman, include Pentland (the maker of Lacoste shoes) and H&M. "We believe there needs to be an industry-wide approach and that's why we're trying to get together as a group," the spokeswoman said, according to Business Green. "We've already had first discussions with other brands and we've been in constant dialogue in the last couple of weeks."