Can Clothing Cause Cancer?

You do everything you can to live clean, read labels, eat organic, choose non-toxic skincare.

But what about the clothes on your back? Most people don’t realize that the average garment is made with and treated by thousands of chemicals, many of them linked to cancer, hormone disruption, and chronic illness. From your leggings to your loungewear, your clothing may be exposing you to more than you bargained for.

I never set out to be in the apparel industry.

But after losing three women close to me to breast cancer, I began asking hard questions about prevention, specifically, what touches our bodies every single day. What I uncovered about the toxins in intimate apparel and everyday clothing was alarming.

That research opened a door I couldn’t close.

Key Points:

Clothing contains harmful chemicals: Over 8,000 chemicals are used in textile production, including formaldehyde, PFAS, and azo dyes, many linked to cancer, hormone disruption, and other serious health risks.
U.S. regulation is dangerously behind: Unlike Europe, which bans over 1,500 hazardous substances in textiles, the U.S. only restricts about 40. This leaves American consumers exposed without warning or labeling.
Greenwashing misleads more than it helps: Terms like “natural” and “eco-friendly” often mask the truth. Without third-party certification, these claims are just marketing, and don’t guarantee a toxin-free garment.

Are Your Clothes Toxic? Here’s What We Know

Clothing may look simple on the surface, but behind the seams is a complex, and often toxic, chemical process. More than 8,000 synthetic chemicals are used in textile production worldwide. Here’s what that means in real terms:

Formaldehyde is added to keep clothes wrinkle-free.
PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” make fabrics water- and stain-resistant, but they also accumulate in the body.
Azo dyes give clothing bright colors but can break down into carcinogenic compounds.
Phthalates soften graphic prints on shirts and can disrupt hormones.
Flame retardants and VOCs show up in everything from kids’ pajamas to yoga pants.

The problem is these chemicals aren’t tightly regulated, at least not in the U.S.

While the European Union bans about 1,500 substances in textiles that touch the skin, the U.S. only restricts around 40. That means brands can legally use thousands of potentially harmful substances without telling you a thing.

No labels. No warnings. No accountability.

We’ve seen how this plays out. When airlines like Alaska and Delta introduced new uniforms made from synthetic fabrics, hundreds of flight attendants experienced severe symptoms, rashes, hives, breathing problems, even autoimmune issues. Tests found heavy metals and endocrine disruptors in the fabric. But the manufacturers claimed everything was “within legal limits,” and the lawsuits that followed were largely dismissed.

How These Chemicals Can Affect Your Body

Your skin isn’t just a barrier, it’s a sponge.

Especially when you’re hot, sweaty, or wearing tight clothing. That’s when something called transdermal absorption kicks in. It means chemicals from your clothes, like PFAS, formaldehyde, and phthalates, can pass through your skin and enter your bloodstream.

Think about it: most of us wear snug, synthetic fabrics for hours at a time.

Add heat and friction, and your body becomes even more absorbent. Sports bras, leggings, underwear, even bedsheets, these everyday items can become delivery systems for toxic exposure.

Some of these chemicals mess with your hormones, impact fertility, and are linked to long-term cancer risk. When tight clothing restricts movement, like underwire bras or shapewear, it can also block your lymphatic system, the part of your body responsible for clearing out waste and toxins. That makes it harder for your body to detox, compounding the problem.

The Most Problematic Fabrics & Features

Photo Source -> Duke University

Not all fabrics carry the same risk.

Some are far more likely to harbor harmful chemicals, especially those marketed as “high-performance,” “eco-friendly,” or “innovative.” These materials may be engineered for convenience, but they often come at a hidden cost to your health.

What to Watch For in Fabric Labels

Let’s start with synthetics like polyester and spandex. These are plastic-based fabrics that hold onto chemical residues from manufacturing. They’re less breathable, which traps sweat and heat against your skin, making it easier for toxins to absorb.

Then there’s performance wear, think moisture-wicking, stain-resistant, or wrinkle-free.

To get those features, many brands use PFAS and other chemical treatments. These may make your clothes feel high-tech, but they come with a hidden cost: endocrine disruption, hormone imbalance, and potential cancer risk.

Even so-called “sustainable” options can carry risk.

Recycled polyester, often made from plastic bottles, is a prime example. It sounds eco-conscious, but these fabrics can leach BPA and microplastics, especially when worn close to the skin or under heat and friction.

Red Flags You Can See (and Smell)

You might not have access to a fabric lab, but your senses can still help you make safer choices.

The most obvious warning?

That “new clothes” smell. It’s usually formaldehyde off-gassing, a chemical used to keep garments wrinkle-free during shipping. If it makes your eyes sting or gives you a headache, trust your body.

Other visual cues to watch for: anything labeled wrinkle-resistant, stain-repellent, waterproof, or flame-retardant is likely coated in chemicals. These treatments are especially common in uniforms, and outdoor gear.

How to Know If Your Clothing Is Toxic

Marketing loves a good buzzword. But when it comes to clothing, terms like “eco-friendly,” “natural,” or even “organic cotton” often don’t tell the whole story. This is a tactic known as greenwashing, when brands use feel-good language or imagery to appear sustainable or non-toxic without actually meeting those standards.

Here’s what to keep in mind:

“Eco-Friendly” doesn’t mean toxin-free. A brand might reduce water use or packaging waste but still treat fabrics with harmful chemicals.
“Natural” is unregulated. Even synthetic blends can be labeled “natural” if they include plant-based fibers like bamboo, which often undergoes chemical-heavy processing to become wearable.
“Organic Cotton” sounds clean, but that only covers how the cotton is grown. If it’s dyed with azo dyes, treated with formaldehyde, or blended with synthetics, it may still pose health risks.

Third-Party Certifications That Actually Protect You

So how do you know if your clothing is truly clean? Third-party certifications are the gold standard, especially one in particular: OEKO-TEX® Standard 100.

Here’s why it matters:

Every component is tested, from the fabric to the thread to the dye.
Certified garments are free from over 100 harmful substances, including:

PFAS
Formaldehyde
Heavy metals
Pesticide residues
Phthalates and endocrine disruptors

Unlike vague claims, OEKO-TEX® certification is verified, traceable, and standardized worldwide.

The Clean Clothing Solution: Start With Your First Layer

Not all clothing is created equal in terms of exposure.

The pieces that sit closest to your skin, bras, underwear, leggings, are where the risks really add up. These are your first layer, worn for hours every day, often against the most absorbent and sensitive areas of your body.

Here’s why that matters:

Extended skin contact: These garments typically stay on your body longer than anything else you wear.
Heat and moisture: Intimates and activewear trap sweat and warmth, amplifying transdermal absorption.
Tight fit = less airflow: Most of these garments are made from synthetic, non-breathable fabrics that don’t allow your body to release heat or toxins naturally.

The result? A perfect storm of conditions for chemical absorption.

Certified Clean™ Clothing You Can Trust

This is where we decided to draw the line. At Vibrant, we started by asking one radical question: What if clothing was built for a woman’s health, not just her appearance?

That meant unlearning decades of industry norms.

What makes Vibrant different:

OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 Certified: Every component is tested for harmful substances.
Patented wireless construction: Designed to support lymphatic flow and eliminate restriction.

Because we care. We always have. And we’re not here to follow the industry. We’re here to change it.

Try Certified Clean for Yourself

Ready to experience the difference? Explore the Vibrant Body Company Certified Clean™ Collection, each piece is designed to support your body, not compromise it.

Start with our bestsellers:

The EveryWear Bra™: patented, wireless, and certified clean. Made for all-day comfort and lymphatic support.
The Hikini Underwear: buttery-soft, certified clean, and designed to never dig or ride up.
The Shelfie Tank Top: a breathable base layer you’ll want to live in.

With our 30-Day Wash & Wear Guarantee, you can try your First Layer™ risk-free.

Meet Michael Drescher, founder of Vibrant Body Company.

An unlikely messenger in women’s health, he’s speaking truths the industry has long buried beneath sleek silhouettes at the expense of women’s health. After losing loved ones to cancer, he uncovered the toxic reality of intimate apparel and set out to create a truly health-first alternative. Michael’s work challenges assumptions about who gets to lead wellness conversations, blending radical transparency with science-backed design. He started Vibrant to rewrite the standard, because comfort shouldn’t come with a chemical cost, and health should never be an afterthought.