A Greenpeace investigation has discovered the toxic chemical nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPE) in clothing made by 14 major brands, including Adidas, H&M, Converse and Abercrombie and Fitch. NPE breaks down to form nonylphenol in water, which disrupts hormone levels and has been known to cause fish to change gender. Due to its persistence, nonylphenol builds up in each level in the food chain, meaning humans receive the highest dosage and can suffer from hormone imbalances as a result of eating contaminated fish and water. The chemical is banned from use in textile production in the EU but in China and other Asian countries such as Vietnam, where many global clothing brands source their products from, lax restrictions mean that NPE is widely used in the dyeing process.
See more here:
Death by fashion: is your wardrobe poisoning the world’s water supply?
