Everyone knows that colorful clothes are realized by dyes, and most of the dyes used in clothes are chemical dyes.
As a result, there are rumors that dyes in textiles, especially dark, brightly colored clothing, because chemical dyes contain certain dyes Elements that are not good for the body. In addition, dark dyes contain formaldehyde, and brightly colored clothes are prone to contain decomposable aromatic amine dyes that are banned by the state. Consumers will buy “toxic” clothes if they are not careful.
So, are dark, bright clothes healthy or unhealthy? Can we still wear it? Let’s start from the beginning.
01
The growing popularity of synthetic dyes
This rumor speaks to two questions about textiles: one is whether the dyes used in textiles are toxic, and the other is the problem of formaldehyde in clothing.
Let’s first understand the two important processes of “dyeing” and “finishing” in textile production. The printing and dyeing process endows textiles with rich colors and patterns, and various dyes are used in the processing process; the finishing process can improve the appearance and internal quality of textiles, improve performance or To endow the textile with a special function, various finishing auxiliaries are also used in the processing.
Today, the chemical synthesis industry is fully developed, and chemically synthesized dyes are lower than vegetable dyes because of their lower cost, more complete color spectrum, dyeability and fixability It is better in terms of applications of traditional vegetable dyes in the textile field.
So, will chemical dyes affect your health?
Bright Color Dyes | Figure Bug Ideas
02
Dye toxic? National standard requirements to escort you
First, chemical dyes are not toxic by themselves, despite the wide variety of dyes. In the process of printing and dyeing, it chemically reacts with textile fibers to achieve the purpose of dyeing, and it has no toxicity after combining with fibers.
The largest class of synthetic dyes is azo dyes. Azo dyes are a class of dyes that contain azo groups in their molecular structures. There are more than 3,000 varieties, and they are not toxic themselves. A small part of azo dyes will mix with the metabolites of the human body during the wearing process of the human body, and undergo a reduction reaction under certain conditions, releasing carcinogenic aromatic amines, which damage human health, but such azo dyes have long been >Disabled by national mandatory standards. The European Union, North America and other countries also have clear regulations and textile standards prohibiting the use of azo dyes.
Printing and dyeing companies must follow mandatory standards for product quality in the production process Safety control and guarantee, and apparel products that use banned dyes in violation of regulations cannot be sold from the factory. Newly purchased textiles will also have color fading when they are first washed. These floating colors can be removed by washing and are harmless to the body, so there is no need to worry too much.
03
Formaldehyde? There are also strict restrictions
Formaldehyde in textiles usually comes from resin finishing agents, softeners, color fixing agents, flame retardants, water repellants, etc. used in the finishing process. strong>Finishing aids can be used to improve the performance of fabrics or end the corresponding special functions . At present, the textile industry has gradually replaced formaldehyde-containing auxiliaries by using formaldehyde-free or low-formaldehyde finishing auxiliaries, reducing the excess formaldehyde-containing textiles after finishing. >Risk. In addition, formaldehydecapturers are also used in the finishing process of textiles to effectively reduce the formaldehyde content of the finished product, resulting in Meets the factory standards above.
The content of formaldehyde in textiles has strict regulations and requirements in national standards. The national mandatory standard GB18401-2010 “National Basic Safety Technical Specification for Textile Products” stipulates that the formaldehyde content of Class A textiles is ≤ 20mg/kg, the formaldehyde content of Class B textiles is ≤ 75mg/kg, and the formaldehyde content of Class C textiles is ≤ 300mg/kg; Children’s textile products should meet the requirements of Category A, products that directly contact the skin should at least meet the requirements of Category B, and products that do not directly contact the skin should meet the requirements of Category C at least.
If you are concerned about the small amount of formaldehyde remaining in textiles, you can also wash and dry your newly purchased textiles and clothing before wearing them. Because formaldehyde is easily soluble in water, residual formaldehyde can be removed by washing.
Author | Song Lidan, Engineer, Industrial Research Department, China Textile Construction and Planning Institute
Review | Zhang Jie Chief Engineer, China Textile Construction Planning Institute
This article is jointly produced by “Science Refuting Platform” (ID: Science_Facts) and China Textile Construction and Planning Institute. Please indicate the source when reprinting.
This article is a picture from the copyright gallery and is not authorized to be reproduced.
References:
National Standard GB18401-2010 “National Basic Safety Technical Specification for Textile Products”
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