Are Optical Brighteners in Baby’s Clothing Safe?

Cloth diaper, hand mitts and handkerchiefs glowing due to FWAs under black light.

There has been an increasing boom for the use of cloth diapers for our babies.  The main reasons behind this movement is due to environmental reasons, for the health of our babies and for some economic reasons.  The average baby may use up to 3000 to 4000 disposable diapers in their first two years of life.   Converting this to money at a price of 25 cents per diaper leads to about 750~ 1000 dollars.  There are some arguments on both sides whether cloth diapering is truly economical considering that cloth diapering requires a little more dedication in washing the cloth diapers which in turn require the mother’s/father’s time; expenses for detergents, water, electricity/gas for the washing machine etc.  A few also have arguments in the carbon footprints section but we will leave that up to the other pundits and focus on safety.

FWAs – a Gateway to other Clothing Chemicals

Fluorescent Whitening Agents (FWAs) also known as “optical brighteners” are gateways to other clothing chemicals as cigarette smoking a gateway to illegal drug use.  FWAs are not biodegradable and relatively non-toxic compared to other more harmful chemicals that are used prior to the processing of fabrics and clothes.

This post will be dedicated to help consumers identify clothes which contain flourescent whitening agents (FWAs).  Identifying FWAs are the easiest method for consumers to determine whether the clothes you buy are truly organic or not.  Secondly, there is high probability that if FWAs are used, then other chemicals have been used in making your clothes.  Consumers cannot determine from just the outside appearance whether clothes have been treated with other chemicals such as formaldehyde, perfluorooctace sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), bromines, other chemical processes and finishes.  Determination of those chemicals require a much more expensive and sophisticated machinery.

Organic Clothing vs. Optical Brighteners and other Chemicals

Advances in the textile industry ranges from the types of fibers used, types of weave, all the way to the advances in color dyes and chemicals used to enhance the product.  Thanks to the consumers, many large manufacturers have pursued the “buy the book by its cover” mentality and continued to put forth great products on the market.  But are you aware of the “wolf in sheep’s clothing”?

Not all detergents are created equal!

There are many laundry detergents on the market.  Some brands we are all familiar with are Tide, Cheer, All, Arm & Hammer and so on.  But do they all clean cleanly?  Definition of clean from Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “clean” (used as an adjective) as free from dirt or pollution.  “Clean” (used as a verb) means to rid of dirt, impurities, or extraneous matter.

Basically there are 4 main areas of concern where the definition of  “clean” is in conflict with detergents:

1. Fragrances  – are chemicals added to the clothe fibers to emit a scent.
2. Dyes – adds a slight color to clothes enhancing the brightness.  According to the EPA, “Studies indicate that certain colorants may cause cancer or other adverse health effects in humans.”
3. Enzymes – aids in the digestion of organic matter thus speeding up the cleaning process. However it may cause irritation of the skin, especially in the baby, when the enzyme have not completely washed off the clothes.
4. Brighteners – FWAs acts almost as a “permanent” dye on the clothes.  It works by binding to the fibers of the cloths and reflects the blue portion of the light spectrum.  It is evident with the use of a UV lamp (black light) thus the flourescent blue glow.  This reflection of the blue light creates a masking effect ultimately making whites whiter and colors brighter.

Which detergent should I use for organic clothing?

What detergents are you using for your organic clothing?  Lately, many people are buying things organic. From food to clothes. We all have our reasons but just to name a few – it’s green, great for the environment, it’s for our future, it’s healthy, it’s safe for our kids, it’s hip, go LOHAS (Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability)!

Is it a fad? An emphatic no – it is a multibillion dollar industry that has grown with each consecutive year.

Today, let’s focus on organic clothing. What does it mean? To put it in simple terms, it is “chemical free” fabric against your skin. The definition for natural and organic textiles is very clear cut. For example, organic wool is taken from sheep that is grown freely on the range and organically raised. While organic cotton is derived from plants that are grown, harvested and processed without pesticides and other man-made chemicals. There are controversies about the extent of what organic means due to the dyes used in clothing, processing of the fibers etc. but we will not focus on this matter.

Have you ever owned any organic clothes? Have you washed it with any of these brands? Tide (even Tide “Clear and Free”), All, Cheer, Era, Gain, Ivory, Fab, Dynamo, Ajax, Arm & Hammer, Wick, Surf, Yes, Purex and last but not least DREFT – the #1 detergent recommended for babies by pediatricians?

Your organic clothes you have invested has now been (pardon my French) “de-virginized” – in other words, your once organic clothes are now like any other clothes – “foreverly” not organic.