Textiles from China

There has been a lot of adverse publicity recently about the toxic nature of textiles coming from China.

The problem is that chemicals such as Formaldehyde are just so good at softening fabrics and rendering them wrinkle free that, without any controls in place, the tendency is to use those chemicals freely to develop more user-friendly products.

These chemicals are difficult to remove from textiles – they are designed to persist – and they are just as difficult to remove from the human body. So they accumulate in the body and in many people will contribute to an allergy or disease of some kind.

We enclose below a letter from Elaine Hollingsworth of Hippocrates Health Centre and founder of the excellent website http://doctorsaredangerous.com.

Hello…

We have received some interesting emails in response to our newsletter about poisonous Chinese cottons. As an example, read what Anne Hills had to say about her experience with cotton undies from Best and Less. This fits right in with the terrible hives I got from a Best and Less nightie. (Click here to read my story.)


Hi, I've just read the article about formaldehyde in clothing and I'm fuming! About 6 months ago I purchased several pairs of cotton undies from Best and Less. They were cheap but very comfortable. I always wash all new clothing separately and hang everything in the sun to dry. At some stage after wearing the new clothing, I developed a rash in the "Ladies Department". Since I've always been prone to Candida, I assumed it was a flare up and treated it as usual. However, this is not internal thrush, but external and so extremely itchy that I sometimes feel I'll go mad. I've tried so many creams and anti-fungals that the bathroom looks like a chemist shop! It became so raw and painful that I finally saw a Dr. who wanted to give me hormone cream. I left there in desperation. I don't want to use some synthetic cream and risk an even worse problem.

After reading the article about the chemicals in clothing, the light bulb went on! I checked, and sure enough, every pair of undies says, you've guessed it! "Made in China" I feel sick that this has been going on for nearly 6 months. The undies must have each been washed dozens of times but the rash persists. No prizes for guessing where the undies ended up but it's hard to find anything now that does not come from China. Even though I have stopped wearing the offending articles, I'm still having problems and I wonder how long it will take to leave my body.

Thank you for writing the article, I hope my story will help someone else.

Anne Hills
Sunshine Healing Haven
Kalbar, QLD


This article came across my desk today: “Poison Blanket Recall”. Click here to read.

We have decided to take this matter on as a crusade, because people are in serious danger from Chinese manufacturing methods. For example, a friend bought a pair of shoes that were so poisoned after having them on for 5 minutes his feet swelled alarmingly and a bad rash appeared. This is serious! Our government is not protecting us from these dangerous imports and something has to be done about it.

If you or anyone you know has had reactions to Chinese clothes please email us with your story. We are going to be dedicating a portion of our website to this important cause. The word has to get out.

Please send this to everyone you know.

Yours in good health
Elaine Hollingsworth

Chemicals in Bedding

Last week, we had 3 separate people telling us they were getting rashes from the bed-linen of a leading Australian brand.

Very little bed-linen is made in Australia now; most of it comes from China. Even our iconic Australian labels have gone there to save on production costs.

However several well-publicised reports have shown recently that formaldehyde levels in bedding from China can be over 100 times recommended levels. No wonder people are getting sick and worse – they are accumulating carcinogenic substances in their body.

Of course, those of us associated with the organics industry maintain that there simply should be no such chemicals used at all. They are unnecessary and deadly. The average consumer has no idea that there is a world of difference between certified organic cotton and conventionally grown and processed cotton.

It’s a sad fact that the vast majority of our consumer market is governed by price, indicating a deep-seated belief in lack. On the other hand there is a significant and rapidly growing number of people who don’t buy into that and who look for value based on the integrity of the product and the rationale with which it was made.

At Blessed Earth we have nothing against China or any country capitalising on cheap labour. They only give us what we ask for and it is ultimately our responsibility to make sure that the products we get are of adequate quality and safe to use.

One has to feel though that our Government has a central role to play in ensuring that imported products at least meet their own very lax safety levels. To do so is also in their best interests, as the cost of the bad health of future generations from the long-term absorption of traces of toxins in bedding could prove to be enormous.

We recommend that if it’s not organic, don’t getinit.