In the news: toxic chemicals in wintersuits

[Spectra]

I only read the Finnish article which I didn't understand 100%. So there are toxic chemicals in the winter 'haalari's' which our children wear? Great. I thought that they were illegal?

What about regular clothes? Do we know what's kind of chemical residues are on them? Does washing the new clothes before wearing them make a difference?

Bleh.

[EP]

I have not seen any recent article about that. But you must understand that there are chemicals (toxic or not) in just about everything nowadays. Textiles are coloured, windproofed, waterproofed – that is all done with chemicals. Unless they are coloureded with berries and mosses and mushrooms, and waterproofed with natural wax or grease, but that does not happen in industry. My mother washed all our new clothes (and sheets and towels) before we used them. And that was well over 40 years ago.

But if some chemical is TOXIC to the amount that it causes notable harm I am sure the manufacturer want the products back and compensates.

[EP]

I thought that they were illegal?

They are illegal in Finland. But how much textile industry we have left? First it was outsourced to Estonia and Hungary, and now I suppose it is all in India and China.

[raumagal]

Is this the article?

[EP]

Yes, that´s it. Today it is also in Hesari. The test result comes from a Swedish lab, and the high levels were found in H&M, Lindex and Kapp Ahl products (all Swedish brands). The same products are sold in Finland, and they will be withdrawn from stores if that chemical is found. There were big differences in levels:

H & M 1200/mg
Kapp Ahl 990/mg
Lindex 970/mg

The "cleanest" of the test was Reima with 2/mg.

That chemical is forbidden in all EU, but it can be be found in stuff that is imported. It is not harmful to people, but it is harmful to fish when it washes off and gets to the water system. That is according to a Swedish toxicolog.