We all shop for Children’s fashion for different reasons. Your children may have outgrown their clothes. Perhaps you have seen some baby girl clothes that are trending, so you don’t want to be left out. Whatever the reason, there is a factor that is normally overlooked- the material. The material we will focus on is synthetics. There have been debates as to whether they are harmful or not. People like and hate synthetic clothes in equal measure.
It has been proven that they pose harmful to your children. Parents should instead opt for natural fabrics such as cotton, wool and silk as they are made from plants and animals. Synthetics are made entirely from chemicals and these chemicals make such clothes hazardous. Common synthetics include rayon and polyester.
How they are harmful to your child
- If your child has eczema, synthetics can further worsen their condition. For instance, they cause skin irritation, skin infection, cancer and rashes.
- Teflon is preferred since it hardly creases. However, when exposed to heat they catch fire easily. Your child would be forced to wear it during the winter season. Aside from catching fire, toxic gases get emitted into the atmosphere which affects the respiratory system.
- Most blankets and children’s clothes are made from acrylic because they are warm and easy to come by. Acrylic, however, contains a combination of toxic chemicals such as lead, ammonia and cobalt which irritate the skin.
- Polyester is manufactured using petrochemicals. These petrochemicals release compounds are known to cause asthma as well as other lung-related issues.
- Rayon has always been thought to be safe since it is manufactured from wood pulp. The problem with the wood despite it being natural has undergone a series of chemical treatments. These chemicals can cause your child to develop symptoms like nausea, chest pain and muscle pain.
- Nearly all synthetics are bleached with a dye that contains either lead or mercury. These metals hinder the growth and development of children and cause cancer.
- This is not a health hazard per se, but this effect still needs to be mentioned. Synthetics tend to promote body odor as they trap bacteria from sweat or urine. They thus do not allow sweat or urine to evaporate since they are tightly designed.
What your children should wear instead
As a parent aspiring to buy baby girl clothes or any other children’s clothes, check what kind of material they are. Synthetics are comfortable to wear, yet they have serious long-term effects on your children. Parents can still get fashionable natural clothes for their children.
Not all parents know the difference between synthetic and natural clothes. To ensure their child’s safety, the parent needs to be familiar with all types of fabrics. Thereafter, they can check the clothes’ labels on them and decide appropriately. If the clothes’ label mentioned acrylic, then the parent will not buy it since acrylic is synthetic.
Natural fabrics are advantageous not just to your child but to the environment in general. For instance, natural fabrics are biodegradable as opposed to synthetics. Synthetic clothes for instance hinder the growth of plant life if disposed of carelessly. If plants fail to grow, then children will not have any food to eat. So environmental pollution still affects children though not directly.
