Are there business clothes without "sizing"?
October 4, 2011 6:10 AM Subscribe
Are there business clothes for men without chemical "sizing"? Help my allergic friend dress for work!
I've searched the MeFi threads on clothing and allergies, but can't find anything that applies this broadly - i.e., the questions I've found have applied to allergies to dyes or dye fixatives, or certain types of fabrics.
I have a male friend who, after extensive allergy testing, has been told he is essentially allergic to the "sizing" chemicals used in clothing. It's not just a contact type of dermatitis, which apparently he gets also, but sneezing and coughing and fatigue and things. None of which are good for business.
These chemicals are apparently used in almost any type of business clothing (long and short sleeve button down shirts, pants) made of any fabric (cotton, acrylic, linen, et c.). He said that labeling of clothing doesn't help because, quote, "If there is a 100% cotton shirt that is finished by dipping it in a thousand chemicals, that gets to be labeled as 100% cotton." The allergies are so bad they are preventing him from engaging in most activities he enjoys - and yet he can't go naked or wear a paper bag to meet with clients, so changing his type of attire isn't a good option.
Google-fu has led us to clothing options that claim to be made without "sizing" chemicals, but these options do not include business attire even where they show things like polo shirts on the front page, they tend to only have tees. (I've never seen my friend wear a polo to a business meeting, but that would seem to me to be the very lower end of what he could wear for business.).
Are there business clothes made without "sizing"? Better yet, are there business clothes for men made without "sizing" that are not eight thousand dollars a shirt? (I haven't found a "yes" answer to either question, but I fear that a yes answer to the first will still mean a "no" to the second.)
Or, are you a person allergic to "sizing" who has found a solution to this problem? I've recommended he buy the non-"sizing" underthings which would at least shield him from most contact with the "sizing" on his clothes, as an option. This may be a good start, but apparently, because it's not just about skin reactions, it doesn't help with the more activity-impairing symptoms.
I've searched the MeFi threads on clothing and allergies, but can't find anything that applies this broadly - i.e., the questions I've found have applied to allergies to dyes or dye fixatives, or certain types of fabrics.
I have a male friend who, after extensive allergy testing, has been told he is essentially allergic to the "sizing" chemicals used in clothing. It's not just a contact type of dermatitis, which apparently he gets also, but sneezing and coughing and fatigue and things. None of which are good for business.
These chemicals are apparently used in almost any type of business clothing (long and short sleeve button down shirts, pants) made of any fabric (cotton, acrylic, linen, et c.). He said that labeling of clothing doesn't help because, quote, "If there is a 100% cotton shirt that is finished by dipping it in a thousand chemicals, that gets to be labeled as 100% cotton." The allergies are so bad they are preventing him from engaging in most activities he enjoys - and yet he can't go naked or wear a paper bag to meet with clients, so changing his type of attire isn't a good option.
Google-fu has led us to clothing options that claim to be made without "sizing" chemicals, but these options do not include business attire even where they show things like polo shirts on the front page, they tend to only have tees. (I've never seen my friend wear a polo to a business meeting, but that would seem to me to be the very lower end of what he could wear for business.).
Are there business clothes made without "sizing"? Better yet, are there business clothes for men made without "sizing" that are not eight thousand dollars a shirt? (I haven't found a "yes" answer to either question, but I fear that a yes answer to the first will still mean a "no" to the second.)
Or, are you a person allergic to "sizing" who has found a solution to this problem? I've recommended he buy the non-"sizing" underthings which would at least shield him from most contact with the "sizing" on his clothes, as an option. This may be a good start, but apparently, because it's not just about skin reactions, it doesn't help with the more activity-impairing symptoms.
Typically sizing will wash out eventually. (And for water-soluable sizings, it'll usually wash out after the first wash. I sew, and it's always very sad when a piece of fabric that was luxuriously smooth in the shop becomes weirdly rough and wrinkled after just one wash.) How is he cleaning the clothing before wearing? Is he dry cleaning? Can he try a new drycleaner? Or if he has 100% cotton shirts, could he try running them through the wash several times and then ironing them himself?
It looks like some dry cleaners actually apply sizing after cleaning, so that's another thing to be aware of. If he's using a cleaner now, it might be he's reacting because of the current cleaner re-adding sizing, not the original sizing in the clothing. If I were in his situation, I'd start by calling around and trying to find a dry cleaner willing to work to strip everything it's possible to strip and then iron/press without any starch solutions or other chemicals.
posted by pie ninja at 6:27 AM on October 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
It looks like some dry cleaners actually apply sizing after cleaning, so that's another thing to be aware of. If he's using a cleaner now, it might be he's reacting because of the current cleaner re-adding sizing, not the original sizing in the clothing. If I were in his situation, I'd start by calling around and trying to find a dry cleaner willing to work to strip everything it's possible to strip and then iron/press without any starch solutions or other chemicals.
posted by pie ninja at 6:27 AM on October 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Washing in very hot water (140°F or higher), with detergent and extra washing soda, will remove some sizings. Some other sizings may require boiling, and others cannot be removed at all. No way to tell which is which without trying.
Look for PFD clothing (which stands for "Prepared For Dyeing"), which is usually free of sizings, since sizings can interfere badly with dyeing. Here are some links to sizing-free men's short-sleeved button-front woven shirts. Some are thin enough to need an undershirt. The best places to look for white PFD clothing blanks are Dharma Trading Company and Alegre Fashions.
Sewing patterns for men's clothing include men's shirts & vests and mens' shirts and pants. Use PFD fabrics ordered from Dharma, since non-PFD fabric yardage often has sizings applied. If you don't want to wear only white, the most hypoallergenic approach is to dye cotton in the washing machine with Procion MX dyes, plus washing soda or soda ash, and common table salt.
Don't forget bedding. Vermont Country Store is the only source that I know of for bed sheets without sizings and formaldehyde resins.
posted by Ery at 6:42 AM on October 4, 2011 [3 favorites]
Look for PFD clothing (which stands for "Prepared For Dyeing"), which is usually free of sizings, since sizings can interfere badly with dyeing. Here are some links to sizing-free men's short-sleeved button-front woven shirts. Some are thin enough to need an undershirt. The best places to look for white PFD clothing blanks are Dharma Trading Company and Alegre Fashions.
Sewing patterns for men's clothing include men's shirts & vests and mens' shirts and pants. Use PFD fabrics ordered from Dharma, since non-PFD fabric yardage often has sizings applied. If you don't want to wear only white, the most hypoallergenic approach is to dye cotton in the washing machine with Procion MX dyes, plus washing soda or soda ash, and common table salt.
Don't forget bedding. Vermont Country Store is the only source that I know of for bed sheets without sizings and formaldehyde resins.
posted by Ery at 6:42 AM on October 4, 2011 [3 favorites]
Was your friend given this diagnosis by a certified allergist? If so, he/she should be giving more information than "he's allergic to sizing".
Is it formaldehyde? If so, you want to avoid clothes that are promoted as being "[X]-Free" (wrinkle, static, sweat, etc).
posted by mkultra at 7:25 AM on October 4, 2011
Is it formaldehyde? If so, you want to avoid clothes that are promoted as being "[X]-Free" (wrinkle, static, sweat, etc).
posted by mkultra at 7:25 AM on October 4, 2011
Response by poster: @mkultra - yes, he went to the allergy clinic at NYU where he was given the diagnosis, when his usual doctor wasn't able to determine the problem. But he said that they weren't very helpful with his particular condition and just gave him a brochure that said things like "try different cosmetics" which wasn't applicable to him. I was hoping that his medical team could have done better, honestly!
posted by mccn at 7:53 AM on October 4, 2011
posted by mccn at 7:53 AM on October 4, 2011
Did they give the names of the specific chemical(s) to which he is allergic? That might be useful.
posted by Ery at 8:02 AM on October 4, 2011
posted by Ery at 8:02 AM on October 4, 2011
Response by poster: @Ery - not to my knowledge; he said there are many different chemicals that can be used, and he doesn't know specifically which ones they are, but that most of his clothing sets off the symptoms. It sounds to me from the questions like maybe he should see if he can get more testing?
posted by mccn at 8:54 AM on October 4, 2011
posted by mccn at 8:54 AM on October 4, 2011
They should be able to tell him which chemicals he has reacted to, without any further testing, though it's possible that they used a mixture of several different textile chemicals.
It would be very helpful to know which specific chemicals he had a problem with; for example, if his problem is formaldehyde, he might be able to wear silk clothing without any problems, but he could have big trouble being around new pressed-wood furniture.
It might be worthwhile to point out here that allergy testing is not always reliable. I've had false positives more than once, and was advised by an allergist to make major life changes for something it turned out I never was allergic to. (The allergen used had probably been contaminated with dust mite allergen.) I was truly allergic to one of the substances tested for, and to another for which the allergist told me no test allergen was available for.
Here's a link to a men's cotton polo shirt without fabric finishes.
posted by Ery at 10:50 AM on October 4, 2011
It would be very helpful to know which specific chemicals he had a problem with; for example, if his problem is formaldehyde, he might be able to wear silk clothing without any problems, but he could have big trouble being around new pressed-wood furniture.
It might be worthwhile to point out here that allergy testing is not always reliable. I've had false positives more than once, and was advised by an allergist to make major life changes for something it turned out I never was allergic to. (The allergen used had probably been contaminated with dust mite allergen.) I was truly allergic to one of the substances tested for, and to another for which the allergist told me no test allergen was available for.
Here's a link to a men's cotton polo shirt without fabric finishes.
posted by Ery at 10:50 AM on October 4, 2011
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posted by Juffo-Wup at 6:19 AM on October 4, 2011