First and foremost, there is no such thing as a CHEMICAL FREE fabric or made without chemicals. There are fabrics that are made with SAFE TEXTILE CHEMICALS and additives that will help your skin.
The fact of the matter is that all commercial fabrics use chemicals in the finishing. And “White” fabric is bleached white instead of being dyed but uses similar amounts of the same chemicals to be finished. Why would you want to trust your sensitive skin to an eczema clothing brand that doesn’t understand fabrics, research, and testing?
This article and the accompanying research will help you understand what to look for from fabrics designed for people with sensitive skin, eczema and contact dermatitis and the governmental agencies and third-party, independent labs that make sure your skin is safe from harmful chemicals.
The statement chemical-free fabric is completely wrong and untruthful for all commercially available textile products including organic or natural fiber fabrics. Organic fabric means that the cotton (or raw material also applies to wool, silk, bamboo, etc.) was grown organically (without chemicals), but the processing of organic fibers into a woven or knitted fabric uses approximately 20% of the weight of the fabric in various chemicals (this includes white, undyed fabrics). An eczema brand of clothing that claims their product is “chemical-free” shows they do not understand textiles, testing for harmful chemicals or they are being dishonest with customers. Current textile manufacturing standards are carefully guided and enforced by the CPSIA, EPA, REACH (EU) and audited by organizations like EWG, bluesign®, and Oeko-Tex® to ensure that no harmful substances or chemicals are used in processing commercial fabrics. And scientific advancements in textiles have created a whole new world of smart fabrics and now there are many benefits of carefully tested additives that enhance the performance benefits of skin smart fibers for athletic wear, fashion, military, and medical purposes.
TEWLTect® the fabric used in Soothems has been dermatologist tested using the Human Repeated Insult Patch Test (HRIPT or Patch Test) and shown to be negative (no skin irritation) and allergy-free. TEWLTect is developed using advanced textile sciences with global partners that use only raw materials that are OEKO-Tex Standard 100 certified safe for infant skin and produced in Bluesign® approved facilities.
Soothems have been thoroughly tested at internationally recognized independent labs and been REACH certified to be free from harmful chemical, metals, and irritants such as Formaldehyde, lead, mercury, silver, chromium, and other heavy metals, phthalates and other endocrine disruptors.
Even with all of this oversite in the textile industry, there are still valid concerns for skin irritation from textiles. This skin irritation is called contact dermatitis.
Contact Dermatitis is a type of eczema and is often confused with atopic dermatitis because of the tender, sensitive skin symptoms like a red rash, hot burning sensation, urge to itch and potential “weeping sores or blisters”.
Contact dermatitis (or allergic contact dermatitis as it is sometimes known) occurs when the skin comes into contact with chemicals or physical substances that cause an allergic or irritant reaction. Contact dermatitis frequently can be caused by an allergy, or because of the epidermis or the external protective layer of the skin gets damaged. The allergic reaction, in this case, an itchy rash, is your immune system kicking in when contact with the trigger and the body makes antibodies including histamines to fight the irritation. Typically, you do not have a noticeable allergic reaction or a rash from the first contact your skin has with something you are allergic to. The first contact sensitizes your skin and you could have an allergic reaction the next time you are in contact with the trigger. Often people do not even realize they are allergic to something until the second time they touch the trigger. Some allergic reactions are not noticeable until a few days later, some are an immediate reaction.
Different from allergic contact dermatitis which involves a problem with your immune system and irritant dermatitis typically occur when the surface oils on the epidermis or skin surface are stripped away and the skin comes into contact with an irritant. The longer the skin stays in contact with the irritant the worse the Irritant Dermatitis rash becomes.
The two types of dermatitis share many similar characteristics. One notable difference is that Irritant dermatitis rashes usually show up immediately. Allergic contact dermatitis rashes may take a day or two to appear.
Many of the symptoms are similar: In both cases, your skin may blister, or you may get a raised red rash. Your skin will itch and maybe burn.
The simple advice is if you know what caused the rash - avoid contact!
If for any reason you are concerned about the rash, if it becomes very painful or if it has not started to clear in a couple of days seek professional medical advice immediately.
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If you have any questions regarding the fit of an item, please contact Soothems at wecare@soothems.com or call +612.601.0700, we are happy to help.
Using soft tape, measure around the head just above the ears, across the forehead to determine circumference.
TEWLTect smart fabric has a generous amount of stretch.
Using soft tape, measure around your head, from the center of your forehead, keeping tape straight and parallel to the floor. Measure around the fullest part.