Found nickel and cadmium in our clothes and shoes: the levels are too high and can cause allergies

Clothes and shoes contain many chemicals, some of which can cause skin allergies. In France, the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES) calls for more restrictive European regulations

When we wear clothes and shoes we do not think that even these everyday objects expose us to many chemicals, some of which are already subject to surveillance while others still need to be identified or regulated.

Uno study conducted by the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES) found (or rather confirmed) that in clothes and shoes they hide dozens if not hundreds of chemicals.

Some, such as dyes, are used intentionally at the time of production, while others are residues or impurities, present in greater or lesser concentration depending on the case. Current European regulations govern 12 chemicals or families of substances known to be skin allergens, such as chromium VI or nickel.

The study aimed to identify the chemicals responsible for skin allergies in 50 patients, following the dermatologist-allergist's suspicion that the rash had started due to substances present in clothes or shoes. This hypothesis was later confirmed by the laboratories that they actually found allergenic substances in the clothes or shoes that the patients had worn.

Based on the results of this study, the Agency, in collaboration with Sweden, proposed a restriction on over 1000 skin sensitizing substances.

If accepted, the request, aimed at better protecting consumers, would allow:

Limit the presence of substances whose allergenic potential was known but for which no legislation was applied
Prohibit the presence of all so-called "dispersed" dyes that are used in particular for coloring synthetic fibers. In fact, these dyes are often involved in the onset of skin allergies
Lower regulatory thresholds for nickel and chromium VI, which are not sufficiently protective as these substances continue to cause allergies even at levels considered acceptable

The problem seems to concern in particular these last two allergenic substances, namely nickel and chromium VI. Dermatologists in France report regularly seeing patients with eczema or skin burns that have appeared after wearing new clothes or changing their shoes. And it seems the chromium VI, present in the skin, and the nickel found in the metal parts, to be the main responsible for the appearance of these skin rashes.

Pending new limits for these substances in clothes and shoes, the French agency reminds all consumers of always wash after purchase and before wearing any item of clothing that may come into contact with the skin, following the washing recommendations recommended by the manufacturer.

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