You could assume brand new clothes are clean and safe to wear, but there’s quite a good chance you’ll come into contact with some pretty nasty stuff when you neglect to wash them beforehand.
You found something that looks good and fits great, so you put iton as soon as you get home because you’re so excited. Who hasn’t done that at some point? The Wall Street Journal interviewed Donald Belsito, the professor of dermatology at Columbia University, and it turns out that might not be such a great idea. Mitchell explains:
There are two major nasties when it comes to allergens in new clothing: dye and formaldehyde resin. Most synthetic textiles are colored with azo-aniline dyes, which can cause a severe skin reaction akin to poison ivy in the small population of people allergic to them. For others, reactions to dyes are less extreme, and may result in slightly inflamed, dry, itchy patches of skin…
Belsito also suggests that you think about where that shirt may have been before it became yours, and what might be already be in the fabric:
“I’ve seen cases of lice that were probably transmitted from trying on in the store, and there are certain infectious diseases that can be passed on through clothing. The other infestation I’ve seen from clothing is scabies.”
Yes, not every article of clothing is infected or infested, so DON’T PANIC.
It’s just an example of why it’s important to wash things before you put them on, especially if you’re buying something secondhand. Ms. Belsito recommends washing new clothing at least once with a double rinse before wearing, no matter what fabric you’re dealing with. Better safe than sorry, especially when you’re shopping with your kids. The whole article is worth a read, so check it out at the link below.