Every now and then, health-minded media will go into a flap about the risk associated with formaldehyde use in baby clothing manufacture and how traces of formaldehyde on baby singlets, tees, etc will shortly bring about the end of the human race as we know it… children first.
How much of this formaldehyde fuss is just hypochrondria-hype? Should all mothers be very afraid about dressing their baby from Day #1 in comfortable cotton baby singlets? Or even ubiquitous baby t-shirts and rompers? Let’s see if we can make sense from nonsense regarding this particular chemical and what risk – if any – it may become to baby’s wellness and wellbeing.
The thing is, it’s a fact that formaldehyde is a nasty chemical. Just the word “formaldehyde” is suggestive of something you really wouldn’t want to have anywhere near your baby. Isn’t it used for pickling laboratory organs? Well generally-speaking, but formaldehyde is also one of a range of substances that you will find used in fabric manufacture. But do the ends vindicate the means? Or is the worry exaggerated altogether?
There are basically two kinds of formulations for fabric which contain formaldehyde. One washes out readily and the other is designed to adhere permanently to cloth, performing efficiently and giving off its gases over time. Yes, it’s those modern-miracle ’no iron’ and ‘crease-free’ treatments which qualify for concerned outcry. These factory treatments contain formaldehyde-bearing resins that will stay on the fabric over its useful life. It’s unproblematic to test for formaldehyde. For the whole time that the ‘permanent press’ treatment is present on the fabric, the formaldehyde is emanating its toxicity to the concern of those with breathing-related allergies in the family.
The good news for babies everywhere, most baby clothing is made from cotton, a natural fibre. During the manufacture, cotton fabric is treated with a solution which contains formaldehyde. This “sizing solution” makes the cotton fabric smoother and not so likely to crease or develop crush marks at any point during manufacturing, transport and eventual display. The greater smoothness also makes the cotton more even more smooth, so it can be cut and sewn by machinists faster during the garment manufacturing process. This crease-resistance helps all the way along to the department stores, where garments can be shelved straight out of the packing box without re-pressing.
Anyone would have to agree that the new baby rompers you buy anywhere carry a detectable formaldehyde presence. But every shopper who has bought a nice t-shirt, given it one wearing and put it through the laundry cycle will know that “shinyness”, “newness”, “smoothness”… these generally attractive attributes cannot hold out after the first passage through the family wash.
For parents who are stressing-out about the idea of formaldehyde in baby singlets etcgarments and blankets), the answer is very straightforward:
1. Wash all new cotton baby singlets, t-shirts, etc, AT LEAST ONCE before use.
2. Beware purchasing or accepting as gifts any baby items with tags proclaiming the clothing to be “crease resistant” or “no ironing needed”.
Taking heed of these very straightforward rules will mean that newborns can enjoy all the softness and practicality of cotton baby wear, without this ever-popular selection bearing too severely on the minds of their parents.
