You can’t fully wash toxins like PFAS, formaldehyde, or heavy metals out of your clothes. These chemicals are embedded in the fabric. The best way to stay safe is to buy OEKO-TEX® certified clothing that’s tested for harmful substances.
If you’re reading that made you side-eye your closet full of fast-fashion clothes, you’re not alone. More and more women are waking up to the unsettling truth: the clothes we wear every day, especially the ones marketed as “affordable” or “performance-enhancing,” may be quietly harming our health.
I’ve spent years investigating the impact of environmental toxins, especially after losing women I loved to breast cancer. Clothing, our most intimate daily exposure, quickly rose to the top of the list. And while the panic you feel is understandable, the truth is also empowering.
You can take action.
It starts by understanding what toxins are in your clothes, why washing alone isn’t enough, and how to protect yourself moving forward.
Key Points
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Washing Can’t Remove Most Clothing Toxins. Surface residues and odors may come out in the wash, but embedded toxins like PFAS, formaldehyde, and heavy metals are chemically bonded to fabrics, especially in fast fashion items from brands like Shein and Temu.
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The U.S. Lacks Textile Safety Standards. Only about 40 chemicals are restricted in U.S. clothing production, compared to over 1,000 in the EU. This leaves American consumers vulnerable to hidden toxins unless they seek out third-party certifications like OEKO-TEX®.
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Most “Sustainable” Labels Don’t Guarantee Safety. Terms like “eco-friendly” or “organic” are often used in greenwashing campaigns. Recycled polyester can still shed microplastics, and bamboo or organic cotton may be chemically treated unless independently verified.
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Simple Swaps Can Lower Your Exposure. While washing helps slightly, smarter steps include choosing fragrance-free detergents, washing new clothes before wearing, and buying secondhand when budget limits cleaner alternatives. But the most effective solution is to buy clean from the start.
How Do Toxins Get Into Our Clothes in the First Place?
It’s a staggering number: over 8,000 synthetic chemicals are used in the global garment industry. Most are designed without safety in mind, and many stay with the garment long after production.
Here are just a few of the usual suspects:
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PFAS ("forever chemicals"): Added for water-resistance and stain repellency in activewear and outerwear. Linked to hormone disruption and cancer.
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Formaldehyde: Used to keep clothes wrinkle-free. A known carcinogen that can trigger skin irritation and headaches.
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VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds): Found in printed graphics and dyes; these can off-gas into the air and lead to adverse health outcomes.
These aren’t trace elements, they’re baked into the fabric.
And fast fashion items often carry higher loads because synthetic fabrics are cheaper, processed quickly, and often treated with multiple finishes for aesthetics and shelf-life.
And when you wear these pieces, tight leggings, synthetic bras, and compression tops, the risk increases. Friction, heat, and especially sweat make your skin more permeable. That turns your clothing into a kind of chemical patch, slowly releasing toxins into your body over time.
The U.S. Lags Behind in Clothing Safety
What’s more concerning is the lack of regulation.
In the U.S., only around 40 textile-related chemicals are restricted. Compare that to over 400 banned substances in Canada and more than 1,000 in the EU. That regulatory gap means American consumers are essentially unprotected, left to rely on marketing labels and green-sounding claims that may have zero oversight. Unless your clothing is certified by an independent third party, there’s no guarantee it's safe, no matter how “eco” the label looks.
So if you’ve been wondering how these chemicals ended up in your closet, the answer is simple: the system allows it. But that doesn’t mean you have to.
Can You Wash These Chemicals Out?
Your washing machine can do a lot, but it can’t undo chemical engineering.
Toxins like PFAS and formaldehyde are chemically bonded during manufacturing. These finishes are designed to survive dozens of industrial-grade washes, which means the average home laundry cycle barely makes a dent.
Here’s what laundry can do:
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Remove surface residues left over from manufacturing
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Reduce strong chemical odors over time (though smell ≠ safety)
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Dilute some of the more volatile substances, slightly lowering exposure
Here’s what laundry can’t do:
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Neutralize embedded toxins like PFAS, formaldehyde, or heavy metals
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Break down chemical bonds used in wrinkle-free, stain-resistant, or anti-odor coatings
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Guarantee safety, even after multiple cycles
DIY methods like vinegar or baking soda can help reduce odor, but they do not break the chemical structure of most textile treatments. You might smell less, but you're not necessarily wearing less toxicity.
So What Can You Do? Practical Steps to Reduce Exposure
If you’ve just learned that your closet might be harboring chemicals you never signed up for, take a breath. You can start making smarter choices today.
Smart Washing Tips
Washing isn’t a cure-all, but it’s still worth doing, especially when clothes are brand new. Think of it as your first line of defense.
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Always wash clothes before the first wear, ideally two or three times. That initial cycle can remove surface-level residues from dyes and finishing agents.
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Soak garments in baking soda overnight, then rinse with diluted white vinegar. This won’t eliminate embedded toxins, but it may help reduce lingering odors.
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Ditch conventional detergents. Many contain synthetic fragrances, brighteners, and surfactants that can add more irritants to your clothing. Instead, use fragrance-free, non-toxic options that won’t coat your fabrics in another layer of chemical exposure.
Shop Secondhand (When You Can’t Afford New)
If you’re overwhelmed at the idea of replacing your wardrobe with clean pieces overnight, don’t. There’s a cost-effective middle ground.
Used clothing often contains fewer chemical residues simply because it’s been washed so many times. That wear-and-tear works in your favor, breaking down surface-level toxins. It’s not a perfect solution, but for many people, it’s a safer and more sustainable option than buying new fast fashion.
Avoid Toxins from the Start
The most effective way to protect yourself is to consider what you buy in the first place.
Look for garments that are tested and certified for safety. Labels like OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 are your assurance that the item has been rigorously screened for over 100 harmful substances.
Because once those chemicals are in the fabric, there’s no real way to get them out. The safest wardrobe is one that was clean before it ever touched your skin.
Why OEKO-TEX® Certified Clothing Is the Safer Solution
In an industry drowning in buzzwords like “clean,” “green,” and “eco-friendly,” OEKO-TEX® is one of the few labels that actually means something.
OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 is a globally recognized certification that tests for over 100 harmful substances, including:
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PFAS
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Formaldehyde
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Heavy metals
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Azo dyes
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Pesticide residues
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Phthalates
OEKO-TEX® inspects every component of a garment, down to the threads, zippers, dyes, buttons, and labels. That level of scrutiny is rare, and it’s what sets certified clothing apart in a market full of vague claims and half-measures.
How Most “Sustainable” Brands Still Miss the Mark
A lot of brands like to talk about sustainability. They highlight recycled fabrics, biodegradable packaging, or lower water use in production. That all sounds good on paper, but none of it guarantees the final product is actually safe to wear.
All of that is classic greenwashing, where companies use vague or misleading language to make their products appear environmentally friendly without the proof to back it up.
Words like “eco,” “clean,” or “natural” are often used loosely, without any certification, testing, or transparency.
Here’s how some of those claims fall short:
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Recycled polyester may reduce plastic waste, but it can still contain BPA and shed microplastics, especially under heat and friction.
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Bamboo fabrics are often heavily processed with toxic solvents to create rayon or viscose, stripping away their natural benefits.
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Organic cotton might be grown without pesticides, but if it’s dyed or treated with toxic finishes, it can still carry residues that impact your skin.
Just because something is labeled “sustainable” doesn’t mean it’s safe.
What you really want is both, planet-friendly and people-safe. And that’s where third-party certifications like OEKO-TEX® matter. They cut through the marketing noise and give you something too rare in this industry: True peace of mind.
Why Vibrant Body Company Is the Gold Standard
Most brands want you to trust their claims. We’d rather prove ours.
Every garment from Vibrant Body Company is made with our Certified Clean First Layer standard. That means:
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OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 Level 1 certified, the strictest level of testing, ensuring zero harmful levels of toxins across every component.
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No underwires. Just intelligent construction that works with your body.
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Designed from the inside out with lymphatic and breast health in mind, because restriction and toxicity don’t belong anywhere near your most vulnerable skin.
When I started Vibrant, I wasn’t looking to build a bra company.
I was looking for answers, after watching women I loved face health crises that raised more questions than explanations. That journey led me here: to build clothing that supports women’s health, starting with the first layer they put on every day.
Want Truly Clean Clothes? Start With Your First Layer
At Vibrant Body Company, everything we make is designed to be a clean, health-first foundation for your day. Whether you're working out, lounging, or heading into a full day of meetings, you shouldn’t have to choose between comfort, function, and safety.
Explore our most-loved essentials:
🌿The EveryWear Bra™: wireless, patented, and impossibly comfortable
💗Certified Clean Underwear: luxuriously soft, non-toxic, and supportive
🤸Sweat Smart Activewear: designed to move with you, not against your health
Because when your First Layer is clean, everything that comes after feels better.
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.
