The textile industry is one of the dirtiest in the world. It pollutes wastewater, the environment, our soil and threatens our health.
Over five billion kg of dyes, pigments and chemicals are used today in the textile industry alone. In the specific production of clothing, there are another 8,000 different chemicals - of which at least 165 have been classified as hazardous to health. Therefore, it is important to talk about what exactly the clothes we wear contain within the framework of sustainability. The skin is the largest organ of the human body, and we should start thinking about what we spend dozens of hours a day doing and what we expose our skin to.
Did you know that even after the end of life, fabrics and clothing still contain 90% of the chemicals that were used in the production of the material? Some toxic chemicals are removed by washing (these further pollute our wastewater). However, most of them remain on your clothes and are thus harmful to your health - toxic substances can cause carcinogenic diseases, are associated with several respiratory diseases, can irritate the eyes and skin or cause infertility.
The clothing manufacturing process is very complex and chemicals play a role in virtually every step of the supply chain. In the case of conventional cotton, it is the enormous amount of pesticides used in cultivation, in the case of artificial fibers, chemicals are important in the production process. For all materials, however, chemicals are found in finishing processes - such as dyeing and other final treatment of the material. All of these dangerous chemicals threaten our health and our planet throughout the life cycle of the product and sometimes even after its end - non-biodegradable or persistent chemicals. This is also why it is extremely important to think about fashion both in terms of sustainability and the circular economy.
The first to start mainstreaming toxins in clothing was the Greenpeace DETOX campaign in 2011. Greenpeace released the report "Dirty Laundry", which pointed to the large amount of dangerous chemicals found in wastewater in China. Many brands then pledged to eliminate toxic substances from their supply chain by 2020.
Which toxic chemicals are the worst?
Azo dyes
- Some older, banned dyes can release substances called aromatic amines, which can pose health risks to humans - they are carcinogenic and can also cause skin and eye irritation.
Formaldehyde
- It can be used in the final treatment of textiles, e.g. Anti-wrinkle treatment. However, there are concerns that it could be linked to some cancers.
Heavy metals
- Lead, mercury, cadmium and chromium. They can appear, among other things, in dyes and pigments, and some of them have been found to have a harmful effect on, for example, the nervous system and kidneys.
Perfluorinated Chemicals (PFCs)
- They are used to repel water and dirt. It takes a very long time to break down and some can be harmful. They are associated with many health problems including cancer and infertility.
Pesticides
- Pesticides such as glyphosate are used in conventional cotton cultivation. These are also linked to a number of health problems such as cancer, respiratory problems and potentially autism.
Chlorobenzenes
- They are used as solvents and can damage the central nervous system.
Organic clothing
" clothes that are friendly to our planet, people and your health"
Sustainable fashion is not only about being kind to our planet and producing ethically. Protecting our health is also an important aspect. That is why ADVA clothing is chemical-free and is ethically produced only from certified materials.
Oeko-Tex 100
All fibers of the final product are tested for the presence of harmful substances according to the Oeko-Tex standard. It also focuses on factors such as environmental parameters, worker safety, social responsibility and more. It certifies only natural blended and recycled fibers.
All our materials, except organic cotton, have this certification.
GOTS
GOTS stands for "Global Organic Textile Standard". This certificate is one of the most transparent and trustworthy and tracks the entire production process. In addition to at least 70 percent natural fibers of controlled organic origin, it may contain a maximum of 30 percent recycled fibers.
We only use the highest quality organic cotton that holds the GOTS certificate.
Our ADVA forever favorite pieces are ethical, compostable and kind to our planet, people and the environment.