Key Points
- Fast fashion clothing contains chemical treatments that stay in close contact with the skin for hours every day, yet finished garments are rarely tested for long-term health effects.
- Real-world studies show textile chemicals can cause skin problems, raising concerns about repeated exposure from everyday clothing, especially for children and people with sensitive skin.
Fast fashion has made clothing affordable and trends easy to follow. New styles arrive quickly, prices stay low, and consumers are encouraged to buy more often. However, recent academic research raises concerns about the health impact of chemicals used in everyday clothing, especially in fast fashion products.
Clothing stays in close contact with human skin for many hours each day. Despite this constant exposure, most garments are sold without testing how the finished product affects human cells after all manufacturing processes are complete.
Chemicals Are Added at Every Stage
Before reaching stores, clothes pass through several production stages. Chemicals are added to enhance colour, softness, durability, wrinkle resistance, water repellency, and antibacterial performance. Many of these treatments are common in fast fashion because they allow clothes to look good quickly and remain inexpensive.
Examples include synthetic dyes, bleaching agents, softeners, and fixing chemicals. Some of these substances may remain in the fabric even after washing, especially in low-cost garments produced at high speed.
While individual chemicals may meet regulatory limits, the final garment is rarely tested as a whole. This means people may be exposed to multiple chemical residues at the same time, without knowing how they interact on the skin.
Skin Contact Makes Exposure More Likely
Clothing acts like a second skin. Fabrics absorb sweat and rub against the body throughout the day. These conditions can increase the transfer of chemicals from textiles onto the skin.
This exposure becomes more intense in warm climates, during physical activity, or when wearing tight or synthetic clothing such as activewear, underwear, and sleepwear, usually items commonly sold by fast fashion brands.
Real-World Skin Problems Are Already Visible
The health effects of textile chemicals are not just theoretical. A study of polyester dyeing and printing workers in Mumbai found that more than half of the workers showed skin-related symptoms after regular exposure to textile chemicals .
Common problems included:
- Itching
- Dry or cracked skin
- Burning sensations
- Redness and eczema
Workers involved in dyeing processes were almost three times more likely to develop skin problems than those in other sections. Those with longer exposure faced higher risk.
Although factory workers experience more direct contact with chemicals, this example shows how substances used in textiles are capable of causing visible skin reactions.
The MDPI review highlights that similar chemicals may still be present, in smaller amounts, in finished clothing worn by consumers.
Long-Term Exposure Raises Bigger Questions
Fast fashion encourages constant purchasing and frequent contact with newly treated fabrics. Over months and years, this leads to repeated exposure to low levels of chemicals.
Certain textile dyes and finishes can damage human cells under specific conditions.
What remains unclear is what happens when people wear these clothes daily over long periods, especially without washing them thoroughly before use.
The lack of long-term data is a key concern raised in the research.
Children and Sensitive Groups Face Higher Risk
Babies, children, and people with sensitive skin are more vulnerable to chemical exposure. Their skin is thinner and more reactive, making absorption more likely.
Children’s clothing is of particular concern because it is worn for long hours and washed frequently. Repeated washing and friction can release chemical residues from fabric, increasing skin contact during important stages of development.
A clear gap exists between medical textiles and everyday clothing. Materials used in medical products must pass safety tests to ensure they do not damage human cells. Ordinary garments, despite being worn far longer, are not required to meet similar standards.
This lack of testing leaves consumers with limited information about the safety of the clothes they wear every day.
The Bottom Line
The research does not claim that all fast fashion is harmful. Instead, it highlights a growing concern: clothing is worn every day, yet its long-term impact on human health is still poorly understood.
Real-world evidence from textile workers already shows how chemical exposure affects the skin. For everyday consumers, the risks may be lower but far more widespread.
Understanding what goes into our clothes may be just as important as how affordable they are.
Shahriena Shukri is a journalist covering business and economic news in Malaysia, providing insights on market trends, corporate developments, and financial policies. More about Shahriena Shukri
