August 2005 | Co-op America’s Living Green
That “New Fabric Smell”
Dear Co-op America, I love the “new” smell that my children’s back-to-school clothes have, but I’ve heard it’s actually a sign of chemicals on the fabric. Is that true?
— Stacey Andrews, e-mail
YOU’RE RIGHT to be concerned — “That ‘new’ smell is a potent mixture of chemicals such as formaldehyde and urea resins,” says green living expert Annie Berthold-Bond, author of Better Basics for the Home. “The chemicals are used to ‘finish’ fabric for a range of purposes including stain resistance, mercerizing, keeping them from wrinkling, and even sometimes for disinfecting. Most contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which, like formaldehyde, are often sensitizers and suspected carcinogens.”
To get rid of those “new fabric smell” chemicals, Berthold-Bond recommends this treatment: Place new clothes in the washer with enough water to cover. Sprinkle one cup of baking soda into the washer. Soak the clothes overnight. When convenient, agitate the machine for a few minutes. Launder as usual. Repeat until the clothes don’t smell.
Some imported clothing companies are now dousing their clothes with long-lasting disinfectants, warns Berthold-Bond, and these cannot be removed with a simple washing. If the clothing you’re about to purchase smells more pungent than usual, put it back on the rack, she says.
To bypass finishing chemicals altogether, look for clothing made from eco-friendly fabrics like organic cotton, linen, and wool, or hemp. These materials are grown with few or no chemicals, and many companies don’t add chemicals to them in the form of synthetic dyes or finishers after they are sewn into clothes. Ask any company from which you purchase clothing whether they use chemical finishers.
DEAR CO-OP AMERICA, I’ve been hearing that Fair Trade fruit has arrived in the U.S. What types of fruit are available, and how do I find them?
— Jean in Los Angeles
WHILE BANANAS are the most prominent Fair Trade fruit, certified mangos, grapes, and pineapples are being stocked in select markets as well.
Fair Trade ensures that fruit farmers receive a fair price for their crops. “Without Fair Trade, fruit farmers often receive only a few cents a pound for their crops, far below the cost of production,” says independent Fair Trade certifier TransFair USA.
To find a seller of Fair Trade Certified fruit near you, visit Transfair USA’s website. If your local store doesn’t carry Fair Trade fruit, join Co-op America’s campaign to make Fair Trade products available locally. Adopt a nearby supermarket and ask the manager to stock Fair Trade bananas, as well as Fair Trade coffee, chocolate, and tea. Co-op America has articles on Fair Trade products available online at www.realmoney.org, which you can give out to educate store managers. For more information, visit Co-op America’s Fair Trade website.
Living Green is brought to you by Co-op America, a DC-based nonprofit that provides green living, purchasing, and investing tips and resources. To join Co-op America and get a free copy of the National Green Pages™ directory of green businesses, contact 800-58-GREEN, www.coopamerica.org. If you have a question, e-mail Living Green.
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